What is boiler brand aftercare? In this blog, we’ll be comparing Worcester Bosch, Ideal, Baxi, and Vaillant boiler aftercare.
When purchasing a new or replacement boiler, it is important to consider all factors before deciding which boiler brand is best for you. These factors include price, reliability, warranty, performance, and last but not least, aftercare.
In this article, we will be looking at which boiler brand offers the best aftercare for their customers to ensure the best customer journey from start to finish. We will be looking at their online support, maintenance and support plans, boiler fixing rates, and repair value. We will also be looking at what customers feel about the brand and their aftercare to help you decide which boiler brand is best suited to you.
Worcester Bosch Aftercare
Straight off the bat, Worcester Bosch are not only known for providing thousands of households with reliable and efficient central heating systems, but they also provide the best aftercare there is, and here’s why.
Worcester Bosch has almost 24k reviews on Trustpilot, with 96% of these reviews being scored above average. This shows that customers are more than happy with their boiler and the service provided by Worcester Bosch. Here is what Worcester Bosch customers have to say about their services:
“Our 30-year-old Worcester combi boiler died after 32 years of excellent service. Because of our experience and the reliability of our old boiler we immediately replaced it with another Worcester. It was installed just under a year ago and to date has provided flawless service.”
You may notice when looking through Worcester Bosch’s reviews that not many mention the aftercare service, however, don’t be fooled into thinking that this is because it’s not top-notch, this is because Worcester Bosch aim to ensure that everything is perfect before leaving the customer so that there is no need for aftercare advice.
Here are some reviews from customers that found a small issue with their boiler:
“I contacted Worcester Bosch about a small leak on my boiler which is still under warranty. They immediately booked an engineer who came a few days later and carried out the necessary repairs. Excellent service from a company that I would highly recommend.”
“My boiler was covered by boiler cover. The engineers from the insurers could not fix it. The Worcester Bosch engineer came out promptly and fixed it on the first visit. Communication about engineers visit was very efficient by text and email.”
Both of these reviews show how prompt and efficient Worcester Bosch’s aftercare is and why we at WarmZilla rate them as one of the best in the business.
During the Which? Best Boiler Brand 2020 survey, customers scored Worcester Bosch a whopping 5 out of 5 stars in the customer score category. This category is based on whether or not customers are happy with their boiler and whether or not they would recommend them to a friend or family. As we can see from the results, Worcester Bosch boilers are reliable and loved by many.
Worcester Bosch Which? Boiler Brand Survey Results:
You might not need the aftercare but Worcester Bosch is definitely there if you need them.
Worcester Bosch offers online support 7 days a week for 364 days of the year, as well as the option to chat live with a member of the Customer Service team. They also have a range of help and guidance material available on their website including how to book a service or repair, a self-help tab where you can find troubleshooting tools and faqs about your boiler, a manual and brochure tab where you can download the manual to your boiler, so you can find out everything you need to know about your boiler and even how-to videos.
When purchasing a new or replacement Worcester Bosch boiler, you will receive a guarantee of up to 12 years, depending on the boiler model you choose. The Worcester Bosch guarantee covers all parts and labour costs for the term of your boiler guarantee. It will also be a Worcester Bosch accredited installer that will carry out any repair work.
It is important to remember that guarantee and warranty are not the same things. If you would like more information on what the difference is between a guarantee and a warranty, we have a separate blog on this.
Worcester Bosch have a 98% first-time fix rate, so rest assured, if there is a small issue, they will have your central heating system sorted in no time. However, if you do find that your boiler is unfixable, it could be more cost-effective for you to purchase a new boiler with WarmZilla.
On that note, we’re so sure we’re the cheapest, that we also offer the Best Price Guarantee, if you find a better like-for-like boiler quote elsewhere, we’ll beat it by £50.
Ideal Heating Aftercare
Ideal Heating boilers also have a great aftercare service for their customers.
Ideal’s Customer Service team is available 7 days a week, 364 days of the year. Ideal also offers a live chat option on their website so that any issues you may have can be resolved promptly.
Similarly to Worcester Bosch, Ideal boilers have boiler guarantees up to 12 years, depending on the boiler model you choose. Many of the boiler models come with a standard guarantee term which can then be increased if the boiler is installed and serviced by a Max accredited installer, available when registered within 30 days of installation and serviced annually.
Ideals website has a good range of support that you can access yourself, such as a tips & advice tab, an FAQ section, and help videos, to ensure maximum comfort in your home.
Ideal Heating has over 7k reviews and a score of 4.7 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot, which tells us that customers are pretty satisfied with their Ideal boilers. Let’s have a look at what their customers have to say about their aftercare services:
“Issue resolved with minimum fuss. Also appreciated the engineer explaining what had caused the problem and showing me the part that he replaced in the boiler.”
“We contacted Ideal’s service centre to report a fault, with our boiler. The person taking our call was very helpful and arranged to book an engineers visit. The day of the visit, as arranged, the engineer phoned to confirm his approximate time of arrival. The work was carried out and the engineer spent time explaining, to us, what the problem had been. Very pleased with the way we have been treated. Thank you.”
Both reviews demonstrate how Ideal Heating responded quickly and efficiently to the customer’s issues and they were resolved in a timely and professional manner. This is why we believe that they are one of the boiler brands with the best aftercare.
During the Which? Best Boiler Brand 2020 survey, Ideal was awarded 4 out of 5 stars in the customer score category, which also shows that Ideal’s customers are happy with their customer service and aftercare.
Ideal Boilers’ Which? Best Boiler Brand Survey Results:
How much does a boiler service cost with Ideal I hear you ask?
Well, the price for repair is similar for all boilers. It is important to remember that prices may vary depending on your local engineer’s prices and your location. However, if your Ideal boiler is functioning normally, without any issues (that you’re aware of), typically, you should expect to pay £70-90+VAT for a service. The price shouldn’t fluctuate much regardless of whether you have an Ideal combi boiler, system or oil boiler.
Expect this price to increase to £85-120+VAT for larger heating companies, rather than local gas engineers.
If you are unsure if your boiler needs repairing or replacing, you can either call your local Gas Safe engineer for some advice, book a service with your boiler company, or you can give our blog a quick read. We also have a blog that covers ways to increase the lifespan of your boiler, if reading one blog just wasn’t enough 😉
Baxi Aftercare
You notice from their website, that Baxi, similarly to Worcester Bosch and Ideal has the option to speak to an assistant via live chat, meaning that any issues you may have can be resolved quicker and more efficiently.
Baxi’s website is easy to navigate and they offer a number of different solutions when it comes to aftercare. As soon as you head over to the website, the option to book a repair is on the first page, so there is no need for you to go hunting for help. They also have a customer support section, help and advice section, and an online FAQ section for questions you may have.
When looking at the Which? Best Boiler Brand 2020 survey, Baxi ranked 4th place, with an overall brand score of 71%, with a score of 4 out of 5 for the customer score category, meaning that their customers would recommend Baxi boilers to their friends and family. Baxi was also awarded 4 out of 5 stars for the availability of spares and parts and well as ease of fixing and servicing, so rest assured, if you did find an issue with your Baxi boiler, you should be able to get the problem sorted in good time.
Baxi’s Which? Best Boiler Brand Survey Results:
Baxi has over 29k reviews on Trustpilot and a score of 4.5 out of 5 stars, so we can see from the get-go that they are a company that cares about their customers. Let’s have a look at what Baxi’s customers have said about their aftercare services:
Baxi boilers come with guarantees of up to 10 years, again, this depends on the boiler model you choose. This guarantee will cover parts and labour for the length of your guarantee term and any repairs made will be carried out by a Baxi installer.
“Great customer service from start to finish, reliable hassle-free & professional”.
“The engineer called me the morning of my repair, he arrived on time and was very polite and helpful. The issue was fixed under warranty with no problem. Very impressed with customer service and would recommend.”
As you can see from the reviews, Baxi’s customer service is praised by many, so you have that extra peace of mind when purchasing a new or replacement Baxi boiler.
When comparing brands like Worcester Bosch, Ideal and Baxi, who are well known for their great aftercare services, to other boiler brands such as Vaillant, there is a clear difference. This moves us on to our final aftercare comparison, with Vaillant.
Vaillant Aftercare
Vaillant was ranked the highest in the Which? Best Boiler Brand 2020 survey, scoring an overall brand score of 80%.
Vaillant boilers were rated a 4 out of 5 stars for reliability by their customers. Engineers also rated them a 4 out of 5 stars. Vaillant also scored a home run with 5 out of 5 stars for customer score, build quality, availability in spares and parts, and ease of servicing and fixing, showing that customers are more than happy with their Vaillant boilers.
Vaillant Which? Boiler Brand Survey Results:
Vaillant has 4.6 stars out of 5 and over 14.6k reviews on Trustpilot, supporting that they are seen as a reliable boiler brand. But what about their aftercare? Here are some comments made by Vaillant’s customers on Trustpilot.
“After installation, there was a small problem connecting to Hive. Vaillant sent out an engineer the next day, who sorted the problem within 5 minutes. Great response. Now working perfectly.”
“There was a mistake with my last name which the Vaillant Team rectified straight away and resent all the paperwork including the Gas Safe Certificate”.
When looking at Vaillant’s aftercare, they do not offer a live chat option online for their customers, unlike Worcester Bosch and Ideal. They do, however, offer an online customer form that you can submit for any issues. There is also an option to call their customer service team, yet calls are charged at 13p a minute. Aside from this, as you can see from Vaillant’s Trustpilot reviews, customers are still very happy with their services, despite not being as easy to get hold of as other brands.
Vaillant boilers have a standard 5-year guarantee as standard, with 7 to 10 years available when you book a Vaillant Advance installer. This guarantee will cover labour and parts for the length of your term. For any repairs outside of your guarantee, Vaillant offers an amazing 25% discount on repairs for all NHS Staff.
If you are looking for a quick fix, Vaillant does offer an Advice & Knowledge section and a boiler manuals section so you should be able to access some information regarding your boiler online.
If you find a fault with your boiler, it may be time to think about buying a new one. WarmZilla can offer you a quote in just 90 seconds, providing you with a list of the best boilers for your needs. There are also boiler finance options available to help spread the cost.
Overall, all boiler brands have offered similar services and packages to cover you in case a fault is found with your boiler. Each of the boiler brands discussed in this article provides a high standard of customer service, helping resolve issues in a professional and efficient way.
Remember to consider all factors when purchasing a new or replacement boiler to ensure that you choose the correct boiler for your home.
