Before Mitsubishi will accept the system into the 3 diamond service package they require an engineers visit and full system check, presumably to ensure it they are not taking on a lemon. So it seems possible to get cover at any time....if you can pay. I am not sure if the price is profiteering or a genuine reflection of the insurance based maintenance cost.

@abernyte I’m also split on the value proposition. I'm questioning the true value behind heat pump services but don’t want to skew anyone’s opinions. I've started to see that warranties are often attached to servicing, which makes it seem like manufacturers want to continue making money after the sale. As you've mentioned, most component failures on a heat pump are very costly to repair. If the compressor goes, that's thousands to replace.

It’s crucial to weigh the cost of regular servicing against the potential savings from avoiding major repairs. While it feels like a money-making strategy, proper maintenance could extend the life of your system and ensure it runs efficiently. However, this raises the question: Are we paying for genuine value or just padding the pockets of manufacturers?

@editor I very much agree, my Daikin is almost a pound a day for the contract (£346 inc. VAT), it might be compared with Russian Roulette! Regards, Toodles.

@toodles and does that cover all repairs/parts/labour if something does go wrong?

@editor Yes, this is their ‘Gold’ service which excludes non-standard add-ons I believe but covers the heat pump and plumbing, but excludes my Sunamp DHW system. (Oooh! I think this is my 1000th. contribution!!!) 😉 Regards, Toodles.

Hmm. A bit of a nuanced answer, methinks.

As I've already mentioned a number of times, our heat pump was installed by Doré Woodman and we were entirely satisfied with their work and service, enough so that we've recommended them several times to various friends and acquaintances who've been considering the move away from fossil fuels. When we had the work done, we got in just before the RHI was replaced, and a requirement of the RHI is that the system is maintained in good working order. Whilst we were aware it's not necessary to get the system serviced for that to be the case, it's certainly an irrefutable bit of evidence we've done our due diligence so we decided we would get the servicing done regularly anyway; after all, we'd have shelled out for servicing the boiler so we weren't spending where we hadn't previously.

DW quoted an annual service at that time as £199 + vat or £796 + vat for a 5 year contract. According to them, an annual service includes:

• Pressure check of system
• Heat pump circuit filter – checked and cleaned
• Valve checkWater stops check
• Primary system full check
• Refrigerant check and top up if required
• Air check in system
• Fuse check to the electrical supply
• Temperature settings check
• Thermostat check
• Yield performance check
• Anti-freeze checked and topped up if required
• All motorized valves checked
• System checked for leaks

I am certainly satisfied they have actually carried out these tasks so am still comfortable with their professionalism. I'm also perfectly happy the price per service (just under £200) is on the reasonable side of industry standards. Is it a fair price for the work they actually carry out? I honestly don't know. However, each time they visit they are more than happy to finish up, have a cuppa and talk through any questions I may have about possible tweaks in the light of current technology or so forth. As a result, the combination of peace of mind the kit has been serviced, the yearly pick-of-the-brains catch up and the piece of paper we can wave at the RHI lot is, I feel, reasonable value for the price we're charged. I certainly don't feel ripped off.

As I've said before, all I'm after is a good job for a fair price and I feel I'm getting that here. If I were being asked to fork out upwards of £400 a year my answer might well have an "off" in it, but that's not the case here.

If you haven’t voted on this poll yet, please take a moment to do so. I strongly believe there’s an insane price disparity between boiler maintenance and heat pump servicing… it’s completely disproportionate.

This is a campaign I’m planning to launch this summer to address the issue, and I need your support to make it happen. I feel that a lot of heat pump owners are being taken for a ride. Please give me ammunition by voting above and sharing your thoughts. Together, we can push for fairer pricing and better transparency in heat pump servicing.

The last service on my Ecodan in November 2024 cost £333.65, which included a mileage fee of £63.00 (+ VAT). Tell me that isn't extortionate! I am desperately looking for a service agent closer to Derby to at least save some mileage costs, but I can't find one. If anybody can recommend somebody close to Derby, I'd be grateful.

@morgan yeah, that’s a crazy price. And what exactly did they do and how long were they there for?

Posted by: @editor

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@morgan yeah, that’s a crazy price. And what exactly did they do and how long were they there for?

@editor

He 'checked' some 'stuff' such as filters and measured the antifreeze content. That's pretty much it so far as I could tell.  He seemed to spend most of his time waiting for the system to power on after a couple of occasions powering down.  He was here on site for little more than an hour.  I get the impression most are unimpressed with the servicing costs but if I can find someone closer I can at least shave off the mileage expense.

@morgan I think my Daikin engineer is based in Weybridge, or at least that is where the service office is based - I suppose the engineer may be ‘attached’ to this area, I didn’t ask him about that. Either way, the invoice shows the VAT and it also shows a ‘Restocking Charge”?! The grand total amounts to £345 for the year ending March 25. (That is for the Gold Service Contract).

The engineer spent approx. 1 hour here and much of that was indoors in our airing cupboard where the Magnaclean and secondary pump etc. are situated. He did show me the very small trace of black accumulated on the Magnaclean and he also remarked that the whole system was running very cleanly and ran with very low resistance. He spent a short time with his head in the monobloc outside but I did not feel it right to stand over him whilst he worked.

I feel he probably did all that was required for an annual service but, that fee is still extortionate! Without an annual service the warranty is void of course - they have us all over a barrel!

Yes Mars, all power to your elbow to have the charges brought down to more reasonable levels - it strikes me that the fee is more than double that which it ought to be! Regards, Toodles. (Expecting my Daikin invoice anyday now for the next year…)

I didn’t take one out and surprisingly Boxt didn’t try to sell me one. I’m sure they will correct that oversight. The Vaillant guarantee says:

During the first year from date of installation the guarantee covers your product against manufacturing defects on the original components

for both parts and labour. In order to continue receiving the benefits of this guarantee for the balance of the term it is a condition that the

product is serviced annually by a fully qualified BPEC and preferable MCS certificated Engineer in accordance with the manufacturer’s

instructions.

hopefully I can find a local btec engineer to look sternly at the filter for a low price. As the only part that is in contact with the guaranteed parts is the water in the heat exchanger I would hope they will have a hard time arguing that it was anything in the system that caused any failure.