Our boiler is regarded as 'new' by both plumbers I have so far asked to examine the boiler – one of them is the person who installed it in May 2018. Both plumbers diagnosed a 'serious fault' requiring a major component replacement.
We returned home from holiday on Wed 4th March 2020 to a very cold house and a boiler which would not work. First plumber attended on Thurs evening, 5th March. He diagnosed the fault, gave an estimate for repairs and was very helpful. Because of the high estimated cost of repair I thought I should contact Grant re warranty cover.
Fri morning, 6th March, I rang Grant UK because we live in Northern Ireland. I was informed that the boiler was still within its (two-year) warranty but that I would have to go through Grant Ireland. That makes sense geographically, but anyone who has lived on these islands through the past three Brexit-dominated years will know that, in this respect, Ireland is a completely different country to the UK.
I rang Grant Ireland. The person I spoke to was astonished at the plumber's diagnosis of the boiler, was loathe to believe it and suggested it was something very simple. He took my details to pass on to the person who covers 'my area' i.e. this part of the UK, and who, it appears, trades under Grant NI.
I mentioned my wife's health issues and requested that he asked the person who covers my area (and who lives relatively close to us) to expedite the case as it was the end of the week. He agreed and told me I would get a phone-call. I didn't. I waited several hours.
I again called Grant Ireland and was given the name and mobile number of the man who 'covers my area'. I rang the man's number many times and got no answer. In exasperation as the afternoon wore on I left a message citing the urgency in needing to speak with him. He called me.
This man, whom Grant Ireland told me covered my area, denied that responsibility and said he would nevertheless help me get the right person to fix the boiler at my expense. I asked about the warranty – he said because it was supplied by Grant Ireland it was a one-year warranty; of course now expired. I told him Grant UK advised me it was a two-year warranty, his retort was that the boiler was supplied by Grant Ireland.
The most important thing was, and remains, getting the boiler working so I asked him to please go ahead and get someone to sort it out. I asked him if he would call back to let me know what was going to happen, and when. He assured me he would. He didn't and hasn't.
Unable to sleep, I have examined the different Grant websites. The Grant UK site states our boiler has a five-year warranty – despite the customer service people saying on the phone it is a two-year warranty. The Grant Ireland website lists the warranty as one-year. I live in the UK.
However, that all seems to be academic as no-one within Grant – UK or Ireland – appears to want to accept responsibility. Meanwhile, part of our home is warming thanks to continual burning of wood in a multi-fuel stove, and part of the house remains at 12 degrees C; and that is detrimental to my wife's poor health.
I now have to wait until Mon morning when I will attempt once again to get some immediate action from Grant.
UPDATE: 24 hours after contacting Grant Ireland, people there – whom I had not previously been in contact with – quietly, competently and immediately set about rectifying the defective boiler. The plumber they arranged to carry out the work this morning was superb in every way and the situation has been sorted out to my complete satisfaction.
The problems and unsatisfactory service I experienced at the outset were from a person outside Grant Ireland with less ability and customer-focused aptitude than his position would lead one to expect. It happens, that's life.
Bottom line is I am completely satisfied with the response from Grant Ireland with many thanks to AL in Customer Services who shows how the job should be done. I am happy to change my experience rating in lieu of this from 馃専 to five 馃専 馃専 馃専 馃専 馃専
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Avoid this company. I installed Firebird and much better engineered. No issues with Firebird