Scottish Power Home Boiler Care - Astonishingly poor service

[Coload]

Took them 3 months to inspect/service my boiler to check my eligibility for joining. The annual "service" was a 10-minute check.

Called them to fix a radiator leak, I had to stay home from work on 3 separate days before an engineer turned up.

I discovered after he left the boiler wasn't keeping pressure, so unusable. I stayed home for another no-show engineer, later to be told they had 3-times the usual callouts so couldn't send anyone until after the weekend. That was just an excuse - they clearly don't have enough engineers to cover.

After numerous calls from me - still no call from them 6 days after the boiler broke to arrange an engineer.

I eventually cut my losses and called my own engineer who diagnosed the problem over the phone - he had emtied the boiler through the pressure relief valve, which is a bad idea. He ordered a new valve and repaired my boiler.

Unfortunately they tell me they won't reimburse me the £114 to fix my boiler from a 3rd party engineer and that also invalidates my contract. I don't think they have an ombudsman for this service either, so may have to cut my losses. I am not renewing their contract!!!

Does anyone have any advice?

[Coload]

Under this contract Scottish Power are under no obligation to fix your boiler in 1 day, 2 days...1 week, even 1 month. If your boiler breaks down you can be left without heat or hot water for as long as "as soon as possible" becomes. If you get desperate you can always find your own engineer, there are plenty out there but Scottish Power have few engineers to cover some areas, and they won't recompense you for the cost incurred, also your contract will then be invalidated. Any expensive problems with your boiler will also not be covered under the contract. You keep paying your monthly direct debits but the contract is not worth the "paper" it's written on.