For your Progress Plus Service agreement

What the agreement provides

Our promise to you

We aim to provide a safe, high-quality service to repair and maintain the equipment included in this agreement. If you have any questions or complaints about your agreement, please contact us on 0845 389 9519.

Summary of your agreement

What the agreement provides:

•  Labour and parts for repairs.

•  One Safety and Maintenance Inspection in every year of your agreement for Central Heating, and Plumbing and Drainage cover. (Please read the section called "Safety and Maintenance Inspection" for full details)

• One Safety and Maintenance Inspection every continuous two year period for Electrical Care. (Please read the section called "Safety and Maintenance Inspection" for full details)

•  No limit to the number of call-outs to carry out work included in your agreement.

•  Priority service (every day of the year).

•  A customer helpline available 24 hours a day, every day.

•  Advice about your system from our engineers.

Progress Plus - Private Healthcare

This service is for maintaining and repairing a single wet (using water) central heating system in your home and includes the following:-

•  A Safety and Maintenance Inspection of your boiler and system (except for parts of the system that aren't readily accessible) prior to commencement of cover. There is a requirement on Progress Plus to notify the home owner of any unsafe appliances.

•  Please read the section 'Safety and Maintenance Inspection' for full details.

•  Labour and parts if your system breaks down including :-

•  Where we agree that your boiler is less than five years old, a replacement boiler, if we decide that it would cost more to repair the boiler than to replace it with a suitable new boiler we have approved.

•  If your boiler is five years old or more, and it is beyond economic repair (ie where the cost of repair exceeds the current value of the boiler), or for example, spare parts are no longer available to carry out the repair or you choose to replace it at any time (however old it is), you are entitled to a 5% discount off the full installation cost of a replacement boiler if you choose us to replace your boiler.

•  If you have fewer than two call-outs in the previous agreement year, and you have had an agreement for more than two years, you may qualify for additional discounts.

•  There is no age limit on your boiler and it does not matter who installed it, as long as all the essential working parts are available at reasonable costs and are approved by us.

What is not included

•  Removing sludge or hard-water scale from the boiler or system (see the System Flush section under Customer information).

•  Replacing your boiler if it is five years old or more. If a new boiler is installed outside of this agreement, it will be installed by a CORGI registered installer, in a position readily accessible for operation, inspection and maintenance and you have a duty to obtain the manufacturers instructions.

•  Repairing or replacing appliance flues that aren't part of your boiler.

•  Repairing or replacing parts of your central-heating system and controls that are specifically designed for piped or electric underfloor heating.

•  The cost of repairs needed because of design faults (unless we are responsible), or faults which existed before you entered into the agreement and which could not be identified on initial inspection using reasonable care and skill.

•  Third-party or accidental damage

•  The cost of repairs relating to damage caused by you or someone else.

• Consequential loss

•  Unless we are responsible for it, we shall not be liable for any loss or damage to property caused by the appliance, boiler or system breaking down (for example, damage to furniture caused by water leaks).

• Normal insured risks

•  The cost of repairing faults or damage caused by freezing weather conditions, subsidence, structural repairs, accident, fire, lightning, explosion, flood or storm. The cost of repairing damage caused by changes to, or problems with, the gas, electricity or water services. You should check your household insurance to make sure you have enough cover for these risks.

•  Improvements including work that is needed to bring your system up to current standards. Examples of improvements include system upgrades, such as adding thermostatic radiator valves, replacing parts such as flues which do not meet current standards, and replacing working radiators with improved models. (These are examples only, not a complete list.)

•  Replacing or repairing decorative or other parts which do not affect how the system or appliance works.

•  Resetting controls (for example, thermostats and programmers following wintertime or summertime changes).

•  Repairing faults or clearing physical blockages (blockages such as rubble, sludge and scale, but not air locks) if we have told you permanent repairs or improvements are needed to make sure your appliance or system works properly. We will only tell you this if, in our expert opinion, it is necessary.

•  Removing asbestos associated with repairing the appliance or system. When you have had any asbestos removed, you must provide us with a clean-air certificate before we will do any further work at your property. By law, the person who removes the asbestos must give you a clean-air certificate.

•  Cash alternatives for repair or maintenance.

•  Repairing any damage caused by our work or redecorating, unless we or our agents have been negligent or broken this agreement.

•  Repairing or replacing any lead or steel pipes.

Central-heating improvements
Replacing your boiler

The Energy Savings Trust recommends that gas central-heating boilers are replaced every 15 years. While boilers older than this can often still work properly, their effectiveness and efficiency becomes reduced. Technological advances mean that today's boilers, if regularly serviced, have significantly improved efficiency, performance, reliability and safety features. Every new boiler we sell is at least 86% efficient ('A' - rated condensing boilers over 90%) - this compares with boilers over 15 years old, which have an average efficiency of around 65%.

Upgrading the system and energy-efficiency improvements

If you ask us to improve your system (for example, by adding new controls), we will give you a 12 months parts and labour guarantee. We are able to provide energy-efficient products at a reduced VAT rate of 5%. To arrange an engineer visit, ring 0845 389 9519.

System Flush

System Flush is a way of removing sludge and other waste from central-heating systems. We may also suggest you correct any design faults which might cause the problem to return. This work can increase the life of your system, and improve efficiency.

When a repair is needed due to sludge (for example, damage to the pump, valves or radiators), we will complete this job, at no extra cost, as long as we have not already told you that you need a System Flush or similar procedure. Our engineer will also tell you what other work is needed to avoid further problems.

If we recommend that you carry out a System Flush, we will charge you to carry out this work. Once it is finished, there will be no charge for any future System Flush work that may be needed as long as you keep a continuous Progress Plus Central Heating Care agreement with us at that property and as long as we carry out any work to correct design faults.

Landlord's safety records

We can carry out the inspections that are needed at the same time as the Safety and Maintenance Inspection. After the inspections on the gas appliances, we will then give you a Landlord's Gas Safety Certificate showing that we have done a safety inspection, which will include details of any faults we have found and any repairs that are needed.

If you ask us to repair a gas appliance, which is found to have a fault, we will provide you with a quotation prior to carrying out any work. If the fault is found to be on the boiler, we will fix the fault free of charge if you have Progress Plus Boiler Only Cover, or Boiler and System Cover. (If the fault is found on a gas cooker, Progress Plus would not be able to provide a quotation to fix the cooker).

If you or we cancel your agreement after we have provided a Landlord's Gas Safety Certificate, you will be subject to a minimum fee of £75 for the year. Payments made during the year will be deducted from the £75 accordingly, and you will be required to pay the balance outstanding.

Gas Fire Services

Progress Plus will provide an annual gas fire service, if required, at the same time as the annual safety and maintenance inspection of the central heating system or boiler.

If you opt to pay for the gas fire service by monthly direct debit payments, and you cancel your cover, there will be a minimum payment of £30 a year for the service.

Plumbing services

What is included:
Plumbing and Drainage Cover
Part A Plumbing
Under this service, inside your home we will provide materials and labour to repair or replace:

• hot and cold water pipes from the internal mains stopcock leading to your taps (excluding garden taps);
• your cold water storage tank;
• leaking overflow pipes;
• standard ball valves and toilet siphon;
• pipes that burst as a result of cold weather;
• central heating water pipes if there is a water leak;
• radiator valves;
• repairs only on hot water cylinders and immersion heaters; and
• washing-machine and dishwasher hot and cold flexible pipes (as long as they are installed to the manufacturer's instructions).

This service includes a Maintenance Inspection to check for water leaks on your internal pipework, valves and hot water cylinder once in every continuous two-year period in which you hold this agreement with us. If you have Central Heating Healthcare with Progress Plus, this service includes a check for water leaks on your internal pipework, valves and hot water cylinder every year (at the same time as your Safety and Maintenance Inspection for your central heating system).

Part B Drains
This includes our cost of materials, labour and repair (up to £1,000 including VAT for each job) for:

• unblocking, repairing and getting to waste drainage pipes, or rainwater drains, inside your home (for example, unblocking sinks) and within the boundary of your property (up to where it is connected to the public or shared drains connection, if this is within the boundary of your property)

Plumbing Cover

What is not included?

• Repairing or replacing taps and washers in taps.
• Repairing or replacing the mains cold water stopcock, water softeners, shower pumps and mixer valves, combined overflow and pop up waste mechanism, mechanical pumps, water filters, radiators, swimming pools, decorative garden features, rainwater pipes and guttering, macerators such as Saniflo, and electrical units for toilets.
• Repairing or replacing manholes, soakaways, septic tanks, cesspits, treatment plants and their outflow pipes.
• Regularly cleaning your drains.
• Repairing or unblocking drains shared with another property or properties.
• Repairing or unblocking drains which are just used for commercial purposes.
• Repairing or replacing any lead or steel pipes.

What is included?

• Electrical Cover

This service is for maintaining and repairing electrical wiring and electrical fixtures inside your home. It is for:

• the fixed electrical wiring system (inside your home and inside outbuildings as long as it has been correctly installed); and
• fuse boxes, light switches, wall sockets, light fixtures, circuit breakers and transformers.

What is included:

• labour and parts for repairs;
• one Maintenance Inspection in every continuous two-year period in which you hold this agreement with us;
• fitting standard replacement parts, for example, we will replace a brass switch with a standard equivalent such as a white plastic switch.

What is not included?

• Repairing controls, pumps, detectors, timers and programmers.
• Repairing or replacing the mains supply.
• Repairing the power supply between your home and the outbuildings on your property.
• Electrical showers.
• Electric fires.

About your agreement

Domestic use

Progress Plus Agreements are only available for appliances in domestic use inside your home.

Period of agreement

Your agreement runs until you tell us that you would like to cancel, or if we cancel the agreement (see 'Cancellation'). You may cancel the agreement at any time, upon 28 working days written notice. We will write to you to tell you about any changes to the terms and conditions or prices.

We may also cancel the agreement at any time, as long as we give you reasonable notice of this.

If you pay each year in advance (by cash, cheque, credit card or debit card) instead of by monthly direct debit and cancel the agreement during that year, we will give you a refund based on how long is left of any 12-month advance payment. You may cancel the agreement at any time, upon 28 working days written notice. We will write to you to tell you about any changes to the terms and conditions or prices. There will be a minimum payment for the year of £55 if we have done work or an inspection. If we have carried out a Landlord's Gas Safety Certificate there will be a minimum payment for the year of £75.

Start date

Your agreement begins when we have processed your application following a successful initial safety inspection.

Initial safety and maintenance inspection

Your Progress Plus service engineer will complete an initial safety and maintenance inspection within 28 days of commencing your cover, where possible. However, as we give priority to breakdowns, it can be later if there is a high demand for our services. If the inspection reveals a problem, we may:

•  tell you what work is needed and what it will cost you for that work to be done;
•  continue with the agreement
•  cancel the agreement and refund any payments.

We have a duty to inform the homeowner of any unsafe appliances and if the homeowner cannot be notified (for whatever reason) of any unsafe applicances we have a duty to notify the gas supplier or transporter. Should the homeowner not be contactable for these notifications we will notify such authorities.

Cancellation

We will cancel your agreement if:

•  you have given false information;
•  you do not make an agreed payment;
•  we are not reasonably able to find parts to keep your system or appliance working safely;
•  circumstances arise (including health and safety issues) which make it inappropriate for the contract to continue.
•  We have advised you that permanent repairs or improvements are needed to make sure your appliance or system works properly, and you do not follow our advice within a reasonable period. This advice may include replacing your boiler or system.
•  If we give you reasonable notice that we are going to cancel.

If we cancel your agreement, we will:

•  give you a refund based on how long is left of any 12-month advance cash, cheque, credit card or debit card payment. There will be a minimum payment of £55 a year if we have done work or an inspection. If a Landlord's Gas Safety Certificate has been carried out there will be a minimum fee of £75 a year. If a gas fire service has been carried out there will be a minimum fee of £30 a year.

You may cancel your agreement in the following circumstances:

•  You may cancel your agreement within seven working days starting from the day after you receive written confirmation of your agreement with us and you will receive a full refund of any money paid (as long as we have not done any work).

•  If it is within one month after us letting you know about changes in prices or terms and conditions or if we fail to do something which we should have done. In this case, you will receive a refund based on how much time is left of the relevant 12-month period or, if you agree, we will put things right and continue the contract. If you cancel in these circumstances, the 'Minimum charges' below do not apply.

Spare parts

If we do not carry the spare parts your repair needs on the day, we have access to a network of national stockists, which means we can get hold of most items the following working day. Otherwise, we will do all we reasonably can to find parts from other suppliers.

We may use approved alternative parts or parts that have been reconditioned by the original manufacturer.

Labour

One of our engineers will usually carry out the work. In some cases we may authorise a suitably qualified contractor to carry out the work.

Gaining access to your property

It is your responsibility to let us into your property. If we cannot gain access to your property to carry out the necessary work, we will tell you and arrange another appointment. If, after several attempts, we still cannot gain access, we may cancel your agreement. We will tell you in writing if this is the case.

Under all Progress Plus options

We will not include the following.

• Replacing appliances, bathroom fixtures, showers and sanitaryware (apart from boilers as described earlier).
• Improvements including work that is needed to bring your system up to current standards. Examples of improvements include system upgrades, such as adding thermostatic radiator valves, replacing parts such as flues or vents which do not meet current standards, and replacing working radiators with improved models. (These are examples only, not a complete list.) You may need to have improvements carried out before we are able to complete other repairs to your system.
• Replacing or repairing parts which do not affect how the system or appliance works or decorative or specialist parts.
• Resetting controls (for example, thermostats and programmers following changes due to winter or summer).
• Repairing faults or clearing physical blockages (blockages such as rubble, sludge and scale, but not air locks) if we have told you permanent repairs or improvements are needed to make sure your appliance or system works properly. We will only tell you this if, in our expert opinion, it is necessary.
• Removing asbestos associated with repairing the appliance or system. When you have had any asbestos removed, you must give us a clean-air certificate before we will do any further work at your property. By law, the person who removes the asbestos must give you a clean-air certificate.
• Cash alternatives for repair or maintenance.
• Repairing any damage caused by our work or redecorating, unless we or our agents have been negligent or broken this agreement.
• Repairing or replacing any lead, steel or central heating iron pipes (other than for internal-gas-supply customers where the gas-supply pipe from your meter to the appliance is included).
• The cost of repairing damage or breakdowns caused by changes to, or problems with, the gas, electricity or water services.

Design or existing faults
We will not include the cost of repairs needed because of design faults (unless we are responsible), or faults which existed before you entered into the agreement and which we could not identify on our first inspection of that particular system or appliance using reasonable care and skill.

Consequential loss
Unless we are responsible for it, we will not include loss or damage to property (including any cleaning needed) caused by the appliance, boiler or system breaking down or leaking (for example, damage to furniture caused by water leaks).
If we have to dig on your property, we will fill in any holes and leave the surface level but we will not necessarily replace the original surface or construction. Any redecoration that may be needed following our work is your responsibility, unless we have been negligent.

Normal insured risks
We will not include the cost of repairing faults, or damage caused by freezing weather conditions (except certain repairs included in 'Plumbing and Drains Cover'), subsidence, structural repairs, accident, fire, lightning, explosion, flood or storm. You should check your household insurance to make sure you have enough cover for these risks.

Safety advice
We may advise you that permanent repairs or improvements are needed to make sure your appliance or system works safely (for example, to comply with gas safety regulations). If you do not follow our advice, it may mean that we are unable to fulfill all of our obligations under your agreement. In this case, your agreement will continue to run unless you tell us you would like to cancel or if we cancel the agreement (see 'Cancellation').

Using personal information

Information you provide or we hold about you (whether or not under our contract or contracts with you) may be used by us or our agents to:

•  identify you when you contact us;
•  help identify accounts, services and products which you could have from us from time to time (we may do this using an automatic scoring system, which uses the information you have provided, any information we hold about you and information from other agencies, including credit-reference agencies);
•  help run, and contact you about the improved running of, any accounts, services and products we have provided before, or provide now or in the future;
•  carry out marketing analysis and customer profiling including with transactional information and create statistical and testing information;
•  help to prevent and detect fraud or loss;
•  contact you in any way (including mail, e-mail, phone, visit, text or multimedia messages) about products and services offered by us and selected partners. We will only contact you in this way if you have previously shown your consent.
•  Transactional information means what you buy from us and how you pay for it for example, usage rates and any discounts we have offered you. (These are examples only, not a complete list.)

We will not allow other people and organisations to use information we hold about you.

We may monitor and record communications with you (including phone conversations and e-mails) for quality assurance and to make sure that we are meeting our legal and regulatory requirements.

We may check your details with one or more licensed credit-reference and fraud-prevention agencies. We and they may keep a record of this search and the payment details from your account, and share it with other organisations. If a person provides false or inaccurate information and we suspect fraud, this is also recorded.

If you give us information on behalf of someone else, you confirm that you have given them the information set out in this document, and that they have not objected to their personal information being used in the way described in it. If you give us sensitive information about yourself or others (such as health details or details of any criminal convictions of members of your household), you agree (and confirm that the relevant subject of the information has agreed) to us processing this information in the way set out in this document.

If you are making a joint application or you have told us about some other financial association with someone else, a 'financial association' between you and that other person (or people) will be made at credit-reference agencies. This will link your financial records with that other person (or people) so that both (or all) your records will be taken into account in all future applications by either or both (or all) of you. This will continue until one of you successfully files a notice with the credit-reference agencies asking that you are no longer financially associated with that person.

Third-party rights

Nobody other than you will be able to benefit from this agreement, which cannot be passed to someone else without our agreement.

Our responsibilities

We will meet our responsibilities under this agreement within a reasonable time unless it is impossible for us to do this because of circumstances outside our reasonable control.

Useful phone numbers

If you have a breakdown, have any other questions, or if you are moving home, you should contact us on 0845 389 9519. (We do not automatically transfer this agreement to your new home, so you need to contact us to discuss your options.)

Ways to pay
There are a number of different ways for you to pay. You can pay by monthly or yearly direct debit; or debit card, credit card or cheque once a year.

Guarantees
Any guarantees do not affect your legal rights under the Sale of Goods Act 1979 and Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982. You can get advice about your rights from a citizens advice bureau or trading standards department.

Force Majeure
We shall not be liable for failure to perform any services if the failure results from circumstances beyond that of our reasonable control.

Severance
If any provision of this agreement shall become or shall be declared by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable this shall not in any way impair or effect the validity, lawfulness or enforceability or any other provision of this agreement all of which shall remain in full force and effect.

Waiver
Failure by us at any time to enforce the provisions of this Agreement or to require performance by you of any provisions of this Agreement shall not be construed as a waiver of any such provision and shall not affect the validity of the agreement or any part thereof or our right to enforce any provision in accordance with its terms.

Governing Law
This agreement is governed by the law of England and Wales.

Other ways to receive this information
If you would like this leaflet in another format, please call 0845 3899519. (Lines are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm) If you are deaf or hard of hearing and you have a textphone, please call us on 18002 0845 389 9519.

If you smell gas
Phone the free Transco emergency service immediately on 0800 111 999.