TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Our service and support plans

It is important for your benefit and protection that you read these terms and conditions. These and your certificate, along with any changes we notify you about (at renewal), will form the basis of this agreement.

This service agreement will not be in force unless you have paid all amounts due under the service agreement (this may be payment in advance or via a direct debit facility).

Definitions

Central Heating: The heat and hot water system on your property – including your expansion tank, radiators, bypass and radiator valves, system filters, warm-air vents, cylinders, any immersion heater and its wired-in timer switch, and the pipes that connect them.

Contribution: The first amount of each claim, payable by you to the helpline before the approved engineer will attend. This payment will be taken before assistance is provided. Payment can be made via credit or debit card. (It is important you check your service agreement carefully to determine whether a mandatory contribution is applicable).

Heat Pump System: This includes air to air, air to water, and exhaust air type heat pump systems. It does not include any ground source heat pumps.

Property: The private home, garage, and domestic outbuildings (excluding sheds, greenhouses, non-permanent structures) within the property boundary shown on your certificate. If the property on the certificate is a flat, the communal or service duct areas are excluded. The extent of your property will be that which is wholly within your control, and you are wholly responsible for.

Repairs/Repaired/Replacing: To fix your heat pump, thermal store, or associated equipment following an individual fault or breakdown but not repairs that are purely cosmetic or related to software that doesn’t stop the main function of your heat pump, thermal store, or associated equipment from working or make it unsafe.

Service Agreement: This contract of services.

Product(s): What is protected by this plan as shown on your certificate.

Sludge: The natural build-up of deposits in your heat pump, including any filters, or central heating system as it corrodes over time.

Upgrades: Improvements that make your heat pump, thermal store, or associated equipment safer, or more efficient.

We/us/our: Service Box Group Limited, trading asService Box, the provider of the plan.

You/your: The person named on the certificate.

Your certificate: The personalized section of your plan documentation sent to you once you have taken out a plan or at renewal.

Our Plans

Our plans are not an insurance product; they are a discretionary protection plan and operate on a wholly discretionary basis. This means that Service Box will exercise its discretion, acting reasonably, when it comes to any claim for repairs and/or services. In exercising our discretion, we take pride in treating our customers reasonably and fairly.

Discretionary protection plans can offer more flexibility in terms and conditions and how claims for repairs and/or services are dealt with. Decisions can be made quickly and also in-house, often resulting in a better service with faster turnaround times. That means that if we approve a claim for repairs and/or services, we can have things working again as soon as possible, minimizing any inconvenience to you and your household.

We offer a one-off annual service and a further plan that includes both an annual service and protection in the event of breakdowns.  Please refer to your plan certificate that outlines what protection you have purchased.

Payments

The annual price you pay for the plan is set out above (annual price). The amount you pay each month is paid by Direct Debit (monthly payments). All prices include the relevant taxes at the current rate.

If we are unable to collect a payment from your bank, we may attempt to request payment again unless you advise us otherwise.

If you do not pay for your plan on time, it will be suspended from the payment due date. Any requests for repairs past this date will not be considered for approval unless payment is received.

Contribution

The service agreement may come with a contribution of up to £95. Please refer to your ‘Plan certificate’ which will outline the contribution to be paid in the event of a claim. Contribution means that when you call out an engineer to complete works and those works are approved by us, there is a charge of the amount outlined on your ‘Plan Certificate.’

The fee is payable up front, at the time you book an engineer. If an engineer needs to visit your property more than once in the course of completing the repair (e.g., if they have to order parts and return to fit the parts), you will not be charged the contribution again. There is NO contribution charged for a Heat Pump service, only for repairs.

Limits of the Service Agreement

The service agreement provides unlimited repairs with a maximum claim limit of £1,500 over the duration of the service agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, a service agreement is for 12 months duration.

Non-Cancellation Fee

Please inform us 24 hours in advance if you need to cancel an appointment. If our engineer attends for a booked appointment and you are not available, we can – at our discretion – charge you a non-cancellation fee of £60.

Contract Term

Your contract term is 12 months and starts on the start date set out above (start date) and continues until it is terminated in accordance with this agreement.

During the first 30 days, you are not able to call out an engineer for a repair; you will only be able to use telephone support.

Cancellation

There is a 14-day cooling off period during which time you can cancel and will receive a full refund. The only exception being if you have already booked a service, in which case we will cancel your plan but will charge you £119 for the cost of the service.

After the 14 days, the contract will run for the full year. Your contract end date will be the anniversary of your cover start date. Annual renewal will happen automatically to ensure continuation of the protection. Should you not wish to renew this plan for the following year, we accept cancellation requests at any time, either in writing or by phone.

We may end your agreement at any time if:

• You give us false or incorrect information.
• You fail to pay for your plan.
• You use threatening or abusive behaviour or language.
• Your Heat Pump system is deemed by us to be unsuitable for our support plans.

In the event that your Heat Pump system is found to be unsuitable for our support plans, we will refund the monthly payments already made.

Renewals

We aim to send you a renewal notice 28 days before the end of your fixed price term, showing the annual price you will pay to continue. We’ll keep renewing your agreement automatically unless you contact us and ask us to cancel.

Your Responsibilities

It is your responsibility to keep us informed of any changes to your contact details, including telephone number, address, or email. If you change a heat pump or associated equipment that’s protected by us, you need to inform us of the make and model of the new equipment so we can determine if it can be covered. If we cannot protect your new heat pump, thermal store, or associated equipment, we may need to cancel or amend your product.

Important Conditions And Your Obligations

• This agreement provides you with telephone support and access to our network of approved engineers for repairs that are approved by us. It is not a contract of insurance nor regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
• Any benefit under this service agreement related to the occurrence of an uncertain event will be provided at our absolute discretion, acting reasonably.
• We will use your personal data in accordance with our privacy policy, which you can find at https://www.service-box.co.uk/privacy-policy.
• We will carry out our obligations under this agreement within a reasonable time unless circumstances beyond our reasonable control prevent us from doing so.
• You must have the appropriate authority to make decisions about the treatment of your Heat Pump system.
• Repair work is guaranteed for 90 days from the date of repair completion. If the same fault and part cause issues within this period, you will not pay the contribution fee for an engineer's return visit.
• We may transfer any or all our rights or responsibilities under this agreement to another organisation. If we do, we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible. This does not affect your rights.
• We may subcontract any obligations under this agreement. None of this affects your rights.
• We may change these terms and conditions. If changes are not in your favour, we will inform you. If you do not accept the changes, you may end this agreement without cancellation fees.
• All parts and materials supplied by us shall be standard parts commonly used in the industry.
• We are not responsible for the cost of a "like-for-like" replacement part if it exceeds the cost of an equivalent standard part.
• You must provide accurate information when applying for the plan. Any false, exaggerated, or misleading information may void the agreement.
• The rights provided under this service agreement cannot be transferred to anyone else.
• Calls to the helpline may be recorded for training and monitoring purposes.
• You must ensure that our approved engineer or plumber can access the property and any item that requires repair or service. Repairs will not proceed if access is unavailable or the repair poses a health and safety hazard.
• If you do not own the property, you must obtain the property owner’s permission before arranging repairs. We are not responsible for damages if permission is not obtained.
• You must provide detailed information about the repair required, including the manufacturer, faults, and previous repair attempts.
• Fraudulent claims will result in the claim being declined, recovery of amounts paid, and potential termination of the service agreement.
• In case of a breach of these conditions, we may void the protection plan and will not be liable for any payments.
• Overlapping coverage across multiple policies will not result in a refund.

Policy Cover – Heat Pump

What Is Covered?

We will provide an annual service as part of ongoing maintenance to keep your system in optimal working order. The first annual service can only be booked after 90 days of the plan's initiation and if payments are up to date.

You must arrange the annual service yourself. Missed annual services will not be refunded.

What Is Included In The Annual Service?

• Inspection of the heat pump, thermal store, and associated equipment.
• Cleaning of the heat exchanger and evaporator.
• Checking and replacing seals and gaskets as needed.
• Checking anti-freeze levels, safety devices, and expansion vessels.
• Checking compressor operation, filters, and strainers.
• Conducting digital analysis (manufacturer-dependent).

What Is Included?

• Annual Service of your heat pump, thermal store and associated equipment to ensure it is working properly
• Unlimited telephone technical support
• Unlimited repairs including parts and labour with a £1500 total claim limit for the year
• Call out charges from £0, you can choose from 3 plan option
• Damage caused by accident protection on your heat pump, thermal store and any associated equipment that is within the property or within locked gates/door

What’s Not Included?

• Breakdowns covered under the manufacturer warranty.
• Sludge removal, descaling, or damage caused by hard water scale deposits or aggressive water.
• Faults caused by unapproved repairs or design issues.
• Costs exceeding the repair limit.
• Replacement or topping up system inhibitors unless removed by us.
• Central heating system repairs, upgrades, or improvements.
• Consumables like external fuses and batteries.
• Intermittent faults not identified during an engineer's visit.
• Flood or water damage to the heat pump, thermal store, or associated equipment.

Heat Pump Beyond Economical Repair (BER)

A heat pump may be deemed BER if:

• The manufacturer advises in writing that it is BER.
• Parts are no longer stocked by the manufacturer.
• An independent engineer determines it is BER due to fault-induced damage.

Heat Pump Replacement Or Contribution Towards A New Heat Pump

If your heat pump is deemed BER, we may, at our discretion, provide a contribution towards a new heat pump, up to the repair limit less incurred costs. Eligibility criteria include:

• Providing a service history showing maintenance as per manufacturer instructions.
• No faults subject to general exclusions or specific system issues.
• Being an active customer for at least 90 days with up-to-date payments.

General Exclusions Of The Plan

• This protection plan does not provide cover for ground source heat pumps and its associated equipment.
• Any item not part of the service agreement detailed in ‘What is Covered’ section.
• Pre-existing faults – The protection plan doesn’t include cover for any faults or design faults that:
  • Were already there when your heat pump, thermal store or associated equipment was installed, or were caused by anybody other than us when any changes or additions were made to your heat pump, thermal store or associated equipment.
  • We couldn’t reasonably have been expected to know about before e.g., faulty pipes that didn’t have the correct protection, which are buried under concrete floors.
  • We have told you about before and you haven’t fixed it.
• Any Heat Pump that is more than 15 years old and not been serviced within the last 12 months (when protection is taken out by you/us) will be excluded from cover.
• Faults that haven’t been reported within 24 hours of your becoming aware of them.
• Any individual claim where the cost is over £1,500. You are responsible for agreeing and payment of these costs directly with us.
• Any losses that arise due to delays in getting spare parts unless caused by our negligence or failure to conclude reasonable searches to procure those parts.
• Systems/Appliances/Equipment that has not been installed, serviced, or maintained regularly in accordance with British Standards and/or manufacturer’s instructions.
• Our Protection Plan does not include cover for any equipment that is not the heat pump, thermal store, and associated equipment, including but not limited to:
  • Flexible Hoses
  • External Pumps
  • Unvented Kits
  • Room thermostats and other generic heating equipment
  • Central heating components
• Instances where a repair/replacement is only necessary due to a change in legislation and/or health and safety guidelines.
• Any damage, defect or breakdown caused by malicious or willful action including negligence, misuse, or third-party interference.
• From time to time, we may tell you that the heat pump, thermal store or associated equipment, or another component of your heating system needs permanent repairs or improvements that aren’t covered by your agreement to keep working safely. If you don’t follow this advice, it will affect your protection plan – but your agreement will keep running until you or we change or cancel it.
• No investigations or work will be undertaken within your home if we believe there to be a health and safety risk to our engineer. This includes any form of abuse, presence of hazardous chemicals, asbestos, dangerous pets, and pest infestations. You are responsible for making it safe which includes any cost for safe removal of chemicals or asbestos for which we may require evidence that this has been done before we will proceed.
• Any parts not supplied and chosen by us. Subject to any applicable regulations, our engineer can fit an alternative part (that complies with British Standards) supplied by you at the time of the visit (e.g., a switch or tap), however, this part will not be guaranteed. Our engineer will not fit alternative parts supplied by you where the claim relates to the gas supply or the central heating system. Normal day-to-day maintenance of the items covered by your service agreement at your property, for which you are responsible.
• The heat pump, thermal store, and associated equipment have not been subjected to frost or freezing temperatures (except for solar collectors which are designed for external installation).
• Parts/equipment still under manufacturer’s warranty.
• Any loss, damage, or impairment to functionality caused by natural events or catastrophes, abnormally high or low temperatures, plumbing problems, corrosion, frost, chemical exposure, radiation, explosion, sabotage, terrorism, insurrection, revolution, war, riot, armed conflict, civil commotion, rebellion, man-made events or technological hazards.
• Loss, damage, or indirect costs arising from disconnection from or interruption to the gas, electricity, or water mains services to the property.
• If we can’t turn off the external water supply stopcock to your home to complete your repair, it’s up to you to get your water supplier to turn it off.
• We’re not responsible for any loss or damage caused by malicious, inappropriate or unintentional interference with the software, internet communications, or radio signals of any heat pump, thermal store, or associated equipment covered under this protection plan.
• Any loss in the event of damage occurring where the property has remained unoccupied for 30 or more consecutive days.
• Repairs, maintenance work, or use of spare parts, where not approved by us.
• We’re not responsible for any loss or damage to, or cleaning of property, furniture, or fixtures, or any other consequential loss as a result of your heat pump, thermal store, or associated equipment breaking or failing unless we caused it. We will only be liable to recompense you for damages caused by willful negligence. By agreeing to a repair, you accept that some property damage may be an inevitable consequence.
• Any loss arising from subsidence, heave, or landslip caused by bedding down of new structures, demolition or structural repairs or alterations to the property, faulty workmanship, or the rise of defective materials, river, or coastal erosion.
• Any investigative work, where the problem that caused you to claim has already been resolved.
• A claim where the root cause stems from a communal area that you do not have sole responsibility for.
• The following are not covered:
  • Power generation systems and their associated pipework, pumps, panels, and controls including solar panels, wind turbines, combined heat and power systems.
  • Swimming pools or decorative features such as fountains, ponds including associated valves, pumps, and pipes.
  • Showers, including the shower unit, controls, pumps, valves, outlets, or showerhead.
  • Saunas, steam rooms, or hot tubs.
• The Property, Heat Pump, thermal store, and associated equipment are used solely for domestic purposes (not for any commercial purpose) and are situated completely within a domestic property.

Contacting Us

Please write to us at:

Service Box Group Limited
First Floor - Suite 11 Sheridan House
112-116 Western Road, Hove, BN3 1DD

Please telephone us on: 0800 802 1892

Opening Hours

For non-emergency assistance we are open 9:00am to 6:00pm, Monday to Friday (except public holidays).

If you think you have a gas leak, you should call the free National Gas Emergencies number immediately on 0800 111 999.

The service agreement does not provide cover for any repairs, damage or other loss resulting from gas leaks which occur outside the boundary of your home.

Request A Repair

Please call our support line on 0800 802 1892. Should any issues arise we are here to help; please call us on the number shown above.

Our support centre will take some details to understand the issue better. To get you up and running sooner, they will ask questions to identify if the fault can be fixed there and then with some on-phone guidance. Where this isn’t possible, they will collate the information that will help prepare an engineer, make the booking, and take payment for the call out contribution fee (when applicable).

It is not possible to make a claim during your exclusion period (i.e., during the first 14 days since your start date). During this period, you can access our technicians through the telephone support line only.

Make A Complaint

In order to make a complaint you can:

• Call us on: 0800 802 1892 Monday to Friday between 9:00am and 6:00pm.
• Email us at: support@service-box.co.uk
• Write to us at:
  Customer Resolutions Manager
  Service Box Group Limited
  First Floor - Suite 11 Sheridan House
  112-116 Western Road, Hove, BN3 1DD

One of our Customer Resolutions Team will endeavour to contact you usually within 48 working hours of receipt of your complaint.

Governing Law And Statutory Rights

We will communicate with you in English and the law of England and Wales will apply unless the protected home is in Scotland, in which case the law of Scotland shall apply.

Nothing in the conditions will reduce or affect your statutory rights; for further information about your statutory rights contact the Citizens Advice Bureau: www.adviceguide.org.uk or 03454 04 05 06.