Review of HomeServe (through Lloyds TSB) Home Emergency Insurance

Today at 6am a pipe burst (or that's what we think it is, since its almost 7pm and the "emergency" plumber hasn't shown up). Water was virtually pouring down the kitchen ceiling, as if it were raining. The largest amount of water was coming through the light fixture, so apart from cutting the water supply we immediately cut the power as well, to avoid a catastrophe of larger proportions.

We phoned the emergency service at 7am, and were told the plumber would phone us as soon as possible to confirm what time he would be here. A couple of hours later he phoned, and promised to be here between 11am and 2pm, which sounded reasonable enough (although having no water, no electricity, no landline, no heating is a nightmare).

By 2.30pm he hadn't arrived, so we phoned again, and they contacted the engineer, who said he had tried to contact us to tell us he was running late but couldn't get through, and this time guaranteed he would be here before 6pm, whether he could contact us or not.

Of course, by 6pm no one had arrived, so we called them yet again, and now the plumber claimed to be stuck somewhere in traffic, so he wouldn't come today. The operator said she would contact another plumber, who would "definitely come tonight". Do I believe her? NO. We are now in a freezing house, with no water or power (thank God for BT FreeZone!). Maybe go to a hotel? I won't spend money I don't have, because I don't trust the company we've been paying for to cover for all these problems and make our life easier, and I don't want to have to chase them forever to get them pay for our accommodation.

This is disgraceful, as they haven't offered any kind of solution whatsoever, and evidently they don't care. Of course they gladly accept their payment, but when they have to deliver the goods, they fail miserably. Friday evening, and the prospect of the weekend ahead is TOO scary to be described.