Jason Mc Guire rated 1St Choice Plumbing & Heating 5 stars
4 months ago
Upon moving into our new apartment, we detected a gas smell, prompting us to turn off the gas supply and contact SGN. SGN responded promptly, fixing an issue with the gas meter and advising us to check for a minor gas pressure drop within our apartment. Seeking a solution, we contacted First Choice for a consultation, agreeing to their £95 fee. Unfortunately, they missed the initial appointment, requiring us to reschedule.
They used a gas detector during their visit but found no gas leaks in our appliances. The technician expressed concerns about potentially accessing the floor to check the pipes and suggested replacing the cooker and boiler. However, he honed in on our cooker and identified a gas leak. Notably, this leak only occurred when the cooker was disconnected, with no leak was detected when it was connected. Citing insurance concerns, he installed a valve and removed some pipes behind the cooker, all without offering a cost estimate when we asked.
Our cooker had no gas inlet after the works, and the pressure problem was not fixed. To our surprise, the technician requested £195 in payment, which included the agreed-upon £95 initial service call fee and an unexpected £100 charge for disconnecting a functional cooker, despite our previous request for clarification on this charge. We eventually agreed to pay £125, but we found this unprofessional.
Unsatisfied with our experience, we sought a second opinion. A friend recommended another professional who promptly identified a loose screw beneath the fireplace as the source of the gas leak without the need to remove the fireplace. Additionally, he successfully reconnected the gas cooker, all for a total cost of £105.
