Under pressure

The only photo I've taken today.

You have likely noticed that I've not really been writing much in the way of comment on a lot of my recent blips but I feel this needs some context.

It's the pressure indicator on my Dad's boiler. I should really have photographed it when it was at zero. 

It seems that my Dad's house was freezing and as well as no heating there was no hot water due to a boiler issue.

Not being an engineer, plumber or central heating expert, I wasn't sure what the issue was or what would be needed to sort it.
However, he has one of those Homecare-cover policies which allows for an engineer to be called out for central heating breakdowns, so they were my first port of call. After all, why else would he be on their Priority register and be paying an exorbitant monthly fee to them if not for the promised 4-hour response to get such issues resolved?

Well, after going through all the automated malarkey that you need to navigate with these things, I eventually graduated after 17 minutes from the on-hold-muzak to an actual line ringing to connect me with someone - at which point the line went dead and reverted to the dialling tone. Cut off! Deliberately? Accidentally? - who knows?

So I tried accessing them online. Earliest available engineer appointment? Saturday afternoon. 2 days away.

Tried on the phone again, eventually got through again, but this time the person on the other side of the line apparently couldn't hear me although I could hear her. So another call abandoned!

So back to the phone in an attempt to speak to something less automated. Same palaver as before. Eventually got to the same stage in a similar timescale as before and this time got through to someone. He was telling me how his system was a bit slow today, then his line went crackly and between the crackles I did manage to hear him say he'd call me back.

I waited.
I made us some lunch.
Was about to phone back again when I received a text from British Gas (for yes, it was them; I'm very happy to name & shame them). 
Said text was asking me to tell them in '3 quick questions' how they did and how likely I am to recommend them.
So after I stopped shouting several words at my phone that I really would be best advised not to type here, I gave them the appropriate scores for their 3 questions, and then when they said 'and finally can you tell us why you chose that score, just text us your thoughts', I absolutely did text them my thoughts!
Apparently they will use them to keep improving their service!!

Anyway, back on to the phone again, at the same time accessing their online complaints process to try that route. That wasn't straightforward either.
As I was trying to navigate that, I again eventually got through on the phone to a person who looked to help me. Maybe 3rd time lucky?
This time I could at least hear her (and her baby in the background: I assumed she was working from home rather than them starting apprentices younger than standard) although she told me that an emergency now meant a next-day engineer if it could be authorised, and no chance of same-day unless there was a threat to life.
I advised her that I was not medically trained so could not advise whether my Dad would or wouldn't expire of hypothermia before an engineer could attend. (I think that went over her head).
However she eventually got a manager's approval for a next-day engineer after asking my Dad's medical and medication status, although could not give a time for the visit other than any time between 8am & 6pm.
That was the absolute best that British Gas could do for an 86 year old man living alone in a house with no heating or hot water.

In the meantime, I located the installation manual of the boiler manufacturer and realised that they had a customer helpline number. So I gave them a call, they asked me a couple of questions, got me to do a couple of things and hey presto, issue sorted. Copious hot water flowed from taps to get the lunch dishes washed and radiators were set to maximum.

Ideal Boilers - as much as I'm happy to name and shame British Gas, I'm very happy to name them and praise their customer service, which was outstanding. 

I've now tried 3 times to cancel his Homecover as it's not fit for purpose, and to cancel tomorrow's engineer, however it seems their website is also not fit for purpose as all you get is an 'oops something went wrong' page.


Anyway, I should try to end on a positive note.
So I'll just say that me and Mrs L went to the cinema yesterday to see Spielberg's new take on West Side Story. Excellent - highly recommend it.