Not upheld: safety assessment and boiler condemnation complaint against British Gas Insurance Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mrs G complained that British Gas wrongly condemned her boiler as unsafe during a June 2025 service, claiming the flue had been in place since installation 22 years earlier and no previous issues were identified. British Gas identified a plastic inner flue component designed for condensing boilers, but Mrs G's boiler was non-condensing and required a metal flue to withstand higher temperatures. Evidence showed the flue had likely been replaced during March 2025 roofing works when a weathering tile was replaced around the external flue, with the roofer sourcing a replacement from a local supplier without consulting the boiler manufacturer. The ombudsman found British Gas acted reasonably in capping the boiler for safety reasons and rejected Mrs G's claim for contribution to her replacement boiler costs, noting she had the option to obtain an independent assessment but did not do so.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman accepted that British Gas had expertise in boiler and flue safety and that the flue identified in June 2025 was non-compliant with the boiler's specifications. Although Mrs G disputed whether the flue had been changed, the evidence showed a noticeable colour change after the March 2025 roofing works, and the flue could not have been the original as it was not manufactured until 2008. The plastic inner flue was designed for condensing boilers but Mrs G had a non-condensing boiler requiring a metal flue to withstand higher temperatures. The ombudsman found it reasonable that British Gas capped the boiler for safety reasons and that Mrs G had the option to obtain an independent assessment but chose not to do so. No expert evidence was provided by Mrs G to contradict British Gas's safety assessment.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website