Review of Homeserve Home Emergency Assistance Cover

I have been paying a monthly insurance to Homeserve GB of Cable Drive Walsall WS2 for 2 years or more expecting that if I needed an emergency plumber or electrician they would send one out as soon as possible to deal with a home emergency.

This is what they promise in all the documentation they sent me. The first time I have ever tried out the system was Friday 6 November 2009 when my neighbour reported that water was running down his kitchen wall and it appeared to be coming from my flat above. It was apparent there was a serious plumbing emergency and I needed an urgent call from a plumber. It transpired the dishwasher had sprouted a leak which had been going for some time. I turned the water off at the mains but still the water persisted in leaking. Damage was caused to my floorboards and my neighbours ceiling and walls.

I rang Homeserve Emergency 24 hr number at 6pm. They said they would get a plumber to ring me and tell me when he could attend. At 7pm I rang to see why no call received. The call handler said they would ring again for the plumber. Nothing happened. I rang again at 8.20 pm and it became clear that the call was being managed from offices in Banbury in Oxon and Preston in Lancashire. I live in North Yorkshire and was being passed from pillar to post.

At 8.37 hrs a man called me to say there was no plumber available to attend. He transferred me to another call handler who said she would try to e-mail someone to find out what to do. By this time I was furious. The lies Homeserve have written in their policy summary is clear to see. They claim I will have instant access to a nationwide network of approved local plumbers and engineers who aim to be with you in the event of a home emergency.

I eventually received a telephone call at 11.16 hrs that night to say there was no-one available to call and a plumber would call between 1-6pm on the following day. I was forced to pay another emergency plumber to come out and deal with the problem.

I aim to demand my money back from Homeserve Membership Ltd and will be writing to Watchdog, Which and the FSA Financial Ombudsman Service to make complaints. Homeserve are simply a booking agent for Inter Partner Assistance SA.