Not upheld: inadequate repair under home emergency policy complaint against British Gas Insurance Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mrs B complained that British Gas failed to properly repair a leak from her ensuite, leading to further damage when a shower booster pump fault was discovered a year later. The first engineer had identified and advised resealing the shower glass, after which the ceiling leak stopped. When later damage was found, a second engineer discovered a faulty pump. The ombudsman found the first engineer had adequately addressed the specific reported issue and was not responsible for identifying an unrelated pump fault. The ombudsman upheld British Gas's position that the pump leak was likely not active during the first visit and did not require the engineer to conduct a broader investigation. The complaint was not upheld.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman reasoned that the first engineer was tasked with finding the source of the specific reported issue—water leaking through the ceiling—which he successfully did by identifying the shower glass seal problem. The engineer was not expected to conduct a comprehensive search for all potential leaks once the reported source was found. The fact that water ceased leaking after the first visit suggested the pump leak was unrelated and likely not present or active during the initial visit. Even if the pump leak had existed, the engineer had no obligation to discover it once the reported problem was resolved.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website