"Like For Like Replacement" of Geyser is Misleading as it is not Like for Like
Hi, 

I placed a call out to Outsurance at the beginning of the year due to a geyser in our outbuilding blowing up. Outsurance then sent out a Plumber that inspected the Geyser and relative damage and thereafter once the Claim was approved, conducted the necessary repairs caused to sealing boards and replacement of the geyser. 

The plumber who installed the replacement geyser notified my mum who is a pensioner and relies on the passive income generated by letting out of the outbuilding that they would replace the geyser with a 50L high pressure geyser as the old geyser was a copper “gravity geyser” for which is not made anymore. My mum at the time agreed to this and has regretted her decision ever since. She has since lost 2 tenants in that outbuilding due to the following reasons:

1)	The new geyser is only sufficient for 1 adult to shower as the water is cold thereafter.

2)	Due to this, the electricity usage within the outbuilding has skyrocketed as the geyser is constantly cold and must now draw additional current to reheat after every shower. 

In light of the above, I placed a call out to Outsurance on the 28/07/2022 to come and inspect their Geyser as the tenants at the property (2 adults and a baby) have also complained about the geyser not being sufficient for them to have a hot shower in the morning. Outsurance then sent out a plumber that inspected the geyser and confirmed that the geyser was connected accurately however, due to it being a 50L high pressure geyser at least 20L of that is displaced before you can even shower i.e. whilst the hot water run. through the tap.

This to me was absolutely ridiculous as he insisted that Outsurance had approved a “Like for Like” Replacement i.e.  a 50L geyser for a 50L geyser. I then contacted Outsurance various times thereafter and appealed to them that this “like for like” replacement was not correct and the new geyser is clearly not fit for purpose i.e. I do not see the point of a geyser that does not provide the necessary hot water as the previous older geyser did. After several calls and call outs, the report by the various plumbers was the same, “the new geyser is a high pressure geyser and although heats and displaces water a lot quicker, it does not have the capacity for 2 adults due to the pressure water is displaced.

I then contacted Outsurance and asked, If my old geyser, was a 50 L Gravity Copper geyser that although older WAS FIT FOR PURPOSE, how is it that you assume a 50L high pressure geyser was a like for like replacement? Barring the Litre holding capacity of the geyser, everything else about it is completely different e.g.  A copper geyser would retain more heat hence keeping the water hotter for longer, I even went as far as to ask the lady if: I had a 2L diesel automobile that was Insured with Outsurance, and I was in an accident and that car was written off, would Outsurance replace my car with a 2L Petrol automobile because they don’t make my older cars model anymore or due to some new efficiencies built into the petrol model? Absolutely appalling! 

I then progressed to asking Outsurance to remove the new geyser and provide me with a cost difference for installing one that would be fit for purpose as was the original geyser in that outbuilding and; I would pick up this cost difference in an attempt to resolve this issue. Outsurance then refused this outright. I am now unsure as to what means I have left to resolve this issue as my mum s constantly being reminded by the tenants of the geyser problem and spiralling electricity bill from the newly installed geyser. Could Outsurance please rectify this issue as this income from the outbuilding provides a passive income for my mum.