Over 80

[GK Fanatic]

My neighbour age 86 has had a phone call to arrange an appointment for a free servicing of his gas central heating etc by British Gas.
We've told him to check id carefully but I'm wondering if there is such a thing ???

[Ethel]

That really annoys me. Anyone with a pc and a laminator can knock up a fake id card. I have no idea what a British Gas identity should look like.

Tell your neighbour to call the customer service phone number on his gas bill and they will tell him if an engineer is booked to visit his address.

[GK Fanatic]

Yes I know that but you hear so often about the elderley accepting any old card without carefully checking. Its the question about the free service that I'd like to know about cos if theres no such thing we can nip it in the bud.

[GK Fanatic]

Ethel you're an angel I agrre with all you say and I'll tell him to phone. Thanks a million.

[bigmamma]

Does your neighbour own his home GK or is it rented ?
I only ask because my home is a housing association house and I get a free annual gas appliance check .

[Ethel]

Please ensure that all your friends, relatives, neighbours who are 'frail' have a list in a prominent place near the phone with the telephone numbers and account numbers of all their service providers - include the council, gas, electric, water board and so on.

Any genuine caller will not mind waiting on the outside of the locked door whilst a phone call is made to verify id. It is no good phoning the number the caller gives.

[GK Fanatic]

Sound advice for all of us thanks again Ethel !!!

[Twenty20]

The idea is good Ethel but I can't see a person standing on the doorstep for half an hour whilst you wait in a queue on the telephone to get through to someone!

'Your call is important to us, please hold the line....'

[gucciman]

i know the elderly can get free gas appliance safety checks but ive never heard of them offering a free service.

the one thing i would be very careful of with british gas is them just turning round and saying the appliance is old and obsolete and talking the elderly person into signing up for a new one, the engineers are on comission and pushed to sell new boilers and it does happen.

[eltelioni]

BG don't do a free service but will arrange an annual service if the owner has a service contract. Also BG will not arrange a free safety check - that would be organised by the property owner or housing association. I would be suspicious of this if there is no BG service contract in place.

[bigmamma]

My step-father pays a yearly amount for a service cover and when his annual appliance check is due they ring him to arrange a day suitable to both .
As I said , my house is housng association so BG do mine annually and I get a letter from the housing asssociation telling me what day and time .

[Ethel]

I do it, Twenty20. Leave standing outside my locked gate if the caller is unexpected.

[wildwood]

I know nothing about British Gas but good on yer for caring about your neighbour GK Fanatic.

[Nannyjill]

I think it is a bit strange as they usually write to arrange an appointment not ring.

I have no idea where you are but I do know that my friend's mum had someone ring her saying they were from British Gas and they weren't. She lives in Bristol.

Ethel'sright you can't be too careful I once made CID stand on the door while I rang the station as I thougth one of the guys looked a bit shifty!!