In reply to Post #64
British gas currently in the process of doing the same with their service technicians.
Many have declined and started their own small business instead.
British gas currently in the process of doing the same with their service technicians.
Many have declined and started their own small business instead.
In reply to Post #76
BG lost about 800 guys last year after they refused to sign new contracts that would give them worse conditions. It's left them very short on skilled service and repair guys. It's a shambles of a business. I do loads of subcontracted S&R work and BG are the worst I've ever dealt with. I absolutely refuse to have anything to do with them anymore. On a plus side they are treating their customers so badly that they are cancelling their service contracts with them in their thousands. Which is great for guys like me who actually turn up and who actually have more than five minutes experience in the industry.
My personal opinion is that within ten years BG will have completely got out of the S&R occupied sector altogether. The same as SSE have done and they will concentrate on just gas/power supply. All those little blue vans to run and pesky staff that god forbid don't want to be treated like dog **** gets expensive.
A disgusting business, run by disgusting people who provide a poor level of service and prey on the ill informed and vulnerable, with the sole aim of maximising profits. Avoid at all costs.
BG lost about 800 guys last year after they refused to sign new contracts that would give them worse conditions. It's left them very short on skilled service and repair guys. It's a shambles of a business. I do loads of subcontracted S&R work and BG are the worst I've ever dealt with. I absolutely refuse to have anything to do with them anymore. On a plus side they are treating their customers so badly that they are cancelling their service contracts with them in their thousands. Which is great for guys like me who actually turn up and who actually have more than five minutes experience in the industry.
My personal opinion is that within ten years BG will have completely got out of the S&R occupied sector altogether. The same as SSE have done and they will concentrate on just gas/power supply. All those little blue vans to run and pesky staff that god forbid don't want to be treated like dog **** gets expensive.
A disgusting business, run by disgusting people who provide a poor level of service and prey on the ill informed and vulnerable, with the sole aim of maximising profits. Avoid at all costs.
In reply to Post #77
A friend and I were partners and BG usdd to sub us loads of work, we had one BG customer that BG had quoted to convert an old system to a combi that her son got her to allow me to quote like for like and we would have been half BG price but she refused to believe we could do it for that price and more or less told her son we must be con men. She payed BG price but BG subbed it to us, when we arrived she wouldn't answer the door and we had to get BG to send a blue van man to explain to her we were doing it for BG, when we finished and explained the system and programmer to her she asked if she could pay us what we quoted for the job but wasn't happy when we said no you've accepted and signed the BG quote.
A friend and I were partners and BG usdd to sub us loads of work, we had one BG customer that BG had quoted to convert an old system to a combi that her son got her to allow me to quote like for like and we would have been half BG price but she refused to believe we could do it for that price and more or less told her son we must be con men. She payed BG price but BG subbed it to us, when we arrived she wouldn't answer the door and we had to get BG to send a blue van man to explain to her we were doing it for BG, when we finished and explained the system and programmer to her she asked if she could pay us what we quoted for the job but wasn't happy when we said no you've accepted and signed the BG quote.
In reply to Post #77
I'd be more than happy to see BG go bust...like yesterday.
I remember before the industry was de-regularised and BG had separate regions...like Northern Gas.
At the time new regulations came in force preventing oil field companies from flaring off gas .
Now the gas has to be removed before the oil can be safely extracted.
British gas was being charged - £0.01/cubic ft to remove the gas yes that's minus one pence, they were being paid one penny for each cube of gas they took and stored or sold by the likes of Shell , BP and Exxon.
Needless to say customers were still charged the full rate for usage.
It was at that time I decided that the acquisition of a used gas meter from a row of soon to be demolished houses was the way forward. I need say no more.
I'd be more than happy to see BG go bust...like yesterday.
I remember before the industry was de-regularised and BG had separate regions...like Northern Gas.
At the time new regulations came in force preventing oil field companies from flaring off gas .
Now the gas has to be removed before the oil can be safely extracted.
British gas was being charged - £0.01/cubic ft to remove the gas yes that's minus one pence, they were being paid one penny for each cube of gas they took and stored or sold by the likes of Shell , BP and Exxon.
Needless to say customers were still charged the full rate for usage.
It was at that time I decided that the acquisition of a used gas meter from a row of soon to be demolished houses was the way forward. I need say no more.
In reply to Post #78
@ Glenn
I thought you were the Glenn that I knew that was a British Airways Engineer at Heathrow ? or have I got the wrong guy ?
also in the 70s I got a quote from a guy that worked for BG he said go to the the Hounslow shop look at all the central heating systems pick out the one you like and get them to come and quote you then you will get a breakdown list and a price and whatever it is I will do it for about half
and true to his word the £2200 he did for £1100 he said you dont need to move anything we will come at 07.30 you all go out for the day dont come back till 17.30
5 or 6 guys arrived at 7.30 in a couple of vans in mins the front lawn was full of pipes and rads we come back at 17.30 and it was all finished up and running
after a year he had left BG and started his own business
@ Glenn
I thought you were the Glenn that I knew that was a British Airways Engineer at Heathrow ? or have I got the wrong guy ?
also in the 70s I got a quote from a guy that worked for BG he said go to the the Hounslow shop look at all the central heating systems pick out the one you like and get them to come and quote you then you will get a breakdown list and a price and whatever it is I will do it for about half
and true to his word the £2200 he did for £1100 he said you dont need to move anything we will come at 07.30 you all go out for the day dont come back till 17.30
5 or 6 guys arrived at 7.30 in a couple of vans in mins the front lawn was full of pipes and rads we come back at 17.30 and it was all finished up and running
after a year he had left BG and started his own business
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/mar/19/ministers-told-in-advance-about-po-mass-sackings
...
*don't tell Ken
...
*don't tell Ken
In reply to Post #80
No not me Gerry, I did hnd mechanical engineering via the mod then went to Edwards High vacuum as a global service engineer for near thirty years but did city and guild in plumbing and heating and the gas qualifier cations while still working for Edwards as when overseas for long periods I would have long periods off when back in UK. Took voluntary redundancy to start up with a mate but unfortunately five years in he passed away.
No not me Gerry, I did hnd mechanical engineering via the mod then went to Edwards High vacuum as a global service engineer for near thirty years but did city and guild in plumbing and heating and the gas qualifier cations while still working for Edwards as when overseas for long periods I would have long periods off when back in UK. Took voluntary redundancy to start up with a mate but unfortunately five years in he passed away.
Am i tempting fate by booking a crossing for May with P&O?
In reply to Post #83
bit risky mate
bit risky mate
In reply to Post #84
yeh i know mate but price is £198 at the moment and just wondering how much they may rise in the next couple of months?
yeh i know mate but price is £198 at the moment and just wondering how much they may rise in the next couple of months?
yes all this I will never go on P&O AGAIN ..................until you want to go on your French trip and they are the only one with space or they are sixty quid cheaper 
In reply to Post #85
tunnel not much different last time i looked, as least you know you wont get mugged off and risk loosing best part of £200.
must admit, i stopped using the ferries years ago, find the tunnel so much better and quicker.
tunnel not much different last time i looked, as least you know you wont get mugged off and risk loosing best part of £200.
must admit, i stopped using the ferries years ago, find the tunnel so much better and quicker.
In reply to Post #87
Plus at least you'll know that you're also not supporting a company that's just ruined the lives of 800 of its workers.
Plus at least you'll know that you're also not supporting a company that's just ruined the lives of 800 of its workers.
In reply to Post #87
Just been quoted £494 for Tunnel and DFDS £328. P&O looking good at the moment
Just been quoted £494 for Tunnel and DFDS £328. P&O looking good at the moment
In reply to Post #89
blimmey
blimmey