Not upheld: claim handling, service quality, alleged damage caused by incorrect repair work complaint against British Gas Insurance Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr and Mrs P complained that BG caused damage to their water system and shower when repairing a leaking pressure relief valve. BG's engineer incorrectly fitted a 2.1 bar multibloc on 9 September 2024 instead of the required 3.5 bar setting, causing severe water pressure reduction for 17 days until corrected on 26 September. Mr P reported the shower subsequently malfunctioned with blocked jet nozzles and paid £2,474.50 for repairs. BG offered £200 compensation and £50 excess refund. The ombudsman found BG made an error and handled the claim poorly but was not persuaded on balance of evidence that the low pressure period caused permanent damage to the shower, as BG's engineer inspection on 14 October found it working correctly. The ombudsman upheld BG's offer of £200 plus £50 as fair compensation.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman acknowledged that BG made an error by fitting the incorrect 2.1 bar multibloc and that this caused unnecessary difficulties. However, on balance of evidence, the ombudsman was not persuaded that the 17-day period of low water pressure caused permanent damage to the shower head. The BG engineer's visit on 14 October found the shower working correctly, and BG's technical team stated that lower pressure would not cause damage to the shower system. While Mr P provided detailed accounts of progressive jet blockages, the ombudsman found the weight of evidence did not support that BG's installation caused irreversible damage. The ombudsman acknowledged poor claim handling but considered £200 compensation plus £50 excess refund fair for the distress and inconvenience caused.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website