Landlords should prioritise boiler maintenance since one mistake might result in legal trouble or a malfunctioning boiler.
Read our guide on landlord heating requirements in the UK for information on your duties regarding boilers and important boiler maintenance advice.
What the law says about landlord boiler servicing
Legally speaking, landlords are in charge of fixing plumbing, electrical, heating, hot water, gas appliances, pipelines, flues, ventilation, and sanitary fixtures. This implies that it is up to you to take care of boiler repairs and maintenance.
Additionally, the product handbook for each gas appliance has information on how frequently servicing is needed by law for landlords.
You must have an annual gas safety check performed by a licensed engineer in order to comply with regulatory requirements for gas boiler service.
This gas safety check must be given to renters at the beginning of each tenancy, and you must preserve copies of them for your records.
It is required to keep copies of the gas safety check record (the gas safety certificate) for at least two years.
Boiler Servicing for Landlords: Who is Liable?
The landlord is responsible for maintaining the boiler. The Landlord and Tenant Act (1985) mandates landlords to keep installations that supply water, gas, and electricity, as well as sewage systems, in excellent condition and operating order.
Landlords must also ensure an annual gas safety check is conducted by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Landlords are also liable for space heating and water heating systems.
However, tenants are often responsible for everyday upkeep, such as keeping the heating on when necessary and reporting concerns.
Some rental agreements additionally state that the renter is responsible for maintaining chimneys and flues.
The sole exception to the landlord’s liability for boilers is when damage is expressly caused by the tenant via abuse.
Landlord Responsibilities
As a landlord, it is essential to understand your responsibilities regarding the maintenance and safety of your rental property. This includes ensuring that all gas appliances, including the boiler, are in good working order and meet the required safety standards.
Regular maintenance and timely repairs are crucial to prevent any potential hazards and to provide a safe living environment for your tenants.
By keeping all gas appliances in top condition, you not only comply with legal requirements but also enhance the longevity and efficiency of these systems, ultimately saving on long-term costs.
Landlord’s Legal Responsibility
The law requires landlords to maintain and service boilers in rental properties. This includes ensuring that all boilers installed in their properties are serviced once every 12 months.
Landlords must also provide a safe and comfortable living environment for their tenants, including the provision of a working boiler.
Failure to comply with these legal obligations can result in severe penalties and put tenants at risk. Therefore, it is imperative for landlords to stay informed about their legal responsibilities and to schedule regular maintenance checks to ensure compliance and safety.
Boiler Servicing Requirements
Regular boiler servicing is essential to ensure that the boiler is working safely and efficiently. This includes annual boiler services and gas safety checks.
These routine checks help in identifying and rectifying any potential issues before they escalate into major problems.
By adhering to a strict maintenance schedule, landlords can ensure that their boilers operate at peak efficiency, reducing the likelihood of breakdowns and extending the lifespan of the equipment.
Annual Boiler Service
An annual boiler service is a crucial maintenance task that helps to prevent issues that are not only expensive but potentially hazardous to a household.
During a boiler service, a Gas Safe registered engineer will inspect the boiler and its components to ensure they are clean and in good condition.
This thorough inspection includes checking for leaks, testing the pressure, and ensuring that all parts are functioning correctly.
Regular servicing not only ensures the safety of the boiler but also improves its efficiency, leading to lower energy bills and a more reliable heating system.
Gas Safety Certificate
A gas safety certificate is a mandatory requirement for landlords to ensure the safety of their tenants. The certificate is issued after a gas safety check has been carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
The check includes inspecting the boiler, chimneys, flues, and ventilation channels to ensure they are safe and in good working order.
It is essential to note that landlords must provide a copy of the gas safety certificate to existing tenants within 28 days of the check. New tenants must be given the most recent copy of the gas safety certificate at the beginning of their tenancy.
By following these guidelines, landlords can ensure that their rental properties meet the required safety standards and that their tenants are safe and comfortable in their homes.
Regular gas safety checks and maintaining up-to-date certificates are not just legal obligations but also critical steps in fostering a secure living environment.
How long does it take a landlord to repair a boiler?
Landlords must act immediately to address any issues that arise. Repairs must be completed in a ‘reasonable period,’ according to Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1985.
As having no hot water or heating constitutes a hazard under the law, emergency repairs should be completed within 24 hours.
What is covered by the price of boiler service?
To determine the boiler’s effectiveness and safety, the majority of heating professionals and businesses perform a conventional set of visual inspections and testing. There can be an extra fee for anything that needs fixing instead of just resetting or cleaning.
Therefore, purchasing a boiler servicing plan makes sense. This will typically entail a thorough boiler servicing once a year. There will be a lower annual service fee than if the boiler were purchased all at once.
It is worthwhile to look at the various annual boiler service packages that are offered, whether you are a landlord or a homeowner. Comprehensive plans often include both boiler service and gas safety checks, keeping you legally compliant if you have.
What is covered by a boiler service for landlords?
- Inspection of the boiler visually
- The boiler’s electrical systems will be examined.
- The controls will be examined.
- Boiler casing removal for component inspection
- If necessary, clean the inside of the shell and the components.
- Identification and examination of the ventilation vents and flue. This is to make sure they are strategically placed, large enough to remove flammable materials from the boiler, and sealed to prevent leakage.
- The boiler will be fired up to check for issues and, if necessary, have the controls reset.
- There will be a number of tests performed on the system’s tightness (no potential for leaks) and flue gas analysis (efficiency and safety). This will ensure that the boiler is operating safely and optimally.
- The pressure in the boiler system will be measured.
- Repair-related issues will be found.
How much should a landlord boiler service cost?
Typically, a one-time boiler service will cost around £105, but it might cost up to £130. The cost of annual boiler service may increase if issues are discovered that cannot be addressed as part of the service. (We provide boiler service for £100 – cheaper than most major businesses)
If the homeowner purchases a plan, they may be able to reduce their annual boiler service costs. This usually covers boiler repairs, annual boiler service, and, for a modest additional fee, entire central heating coverage. These covers are offered by us.
If the homeowner purchases a plan, they may be able to reduce their annual boiler service costs. Comprehensive plans often include central heating cover in addition to boiler service, providing peace of mind regarding the maintenance and functionality of the heating systems in rental properties.
Top boiler service suggestions
1. Keep it in working order.
Boilers require routine maintenance to ensure their safety and efficiency. As a landlord, you are obligated by law to arrange annual gas safety checks for all gas appliances, including servicing the boiler in your rental buildings once a year.
This will not only keep you on the right side of the law, but it will also help you detect any flaws that may be costly to address later on.
Furthermore, a high efficiency boiler not only saves you or your renter’s money on heating expenses, but it is also healthier for the environment.
Landlords are also becoming more interested in green mortgages, and the government is consulting on measures to boost energy performance criteria in rental houses.
2. Advise your tenants
It is necessary to make sure your tenants understand several important concepts about the heating system. Ensure that they are aware of how to correctly operate the heating system and monitor the pressure.
For instance, it’s advisable to check that everything is functioning properly by turning on the heater a few times throughout the summer. In the winter, it’s also a good idea to keep the house heated as long as possible to avoid frozen pipes.
3. Central Heating System Ventilation
To operate safely, many boilers require proper ventilation, which is a key aspect of both service and gas safety. Even though it could be in a boiler cupboard, avoid storing anything close to the vents since this could deprive the appliance of oxygen.
4. Bleed the radiators out.
Your radiators may need to be bled if they aren’t heating up correctly. Even if they are in good operating order, it is advised that you perform this once a year. Read our detailed instructions for bleeding a radiator.
Landlord boiler cover (insurance)
When talking about Landlord Boiler Cover you should consider the expense of replacing a broken boiler as it might be very expensive. Fortunately, boiler breakdown cover is typically included as part of a landlord’s home emergency insurance policy.
Easy Boilers provides boiler breakdown protection. When you’re insured, you’ll be given a phone number for an authorised engineer who can assist you.
What is Landlord Boiler Cover?
A form of insurance known as landlord boiler cover is designed to safeguard the boiler system in a landlord’s rental property. With this insurance, you and your renters won’t pay any additional costs to have the boiler in your rental property fixed or replaced.
We provide a wide range of boiler protection solutions for landlords. This includes both our entry-level boiler policy, which only covers boiler breakdowns, and our more comprehensive boiler insurance plans, which cover plumbing, drainage, home security, and pest control in addition to boiler breakdowns and boiler maintenance.
Additionally, we provide landlords with the option to choose their excess level per claim so that our policies are entirely suited to your requirements.
Should You Get Landlord Cover?
Despite the fact that landlord boiler protection is not legally required, it is a wise investment for any homeowner who rents out their house.
Having landlord emergency coverage might provide you and your renters an extra sense of confidence since you’ll know you’re protected in the event your heating system malfunctions.
When you get landlord insurance from us, you can relax knowing that our heating specialists are available around the clock to help you with your boiler.
Is Landlord Insurance Coverage Included for Boilers?
Boilers are often not covered by landlord insurance. Boiler problems can occur frequently, especially if you don’t buy a reputable brand or don’t schedule yearly boiler maintenance appointments.
Due to this, many insurance providers choose not to include boiler coverage in their insurance plans.
With our help (the heating professionals), you can obtain some of the greatest landlord insurance deals available.
We strive to provide you with the most appropriate boiler protection solution for your needs, ranging from basic boiler cover to more complete plans that include annual boiler service.
Does the Landlord Cover Boilers and other Gas appliances?
Boilers are typically excluded from landlord insurance coverage. Boiler problems can occur very frequently, especially if you don’t invest in a high-quality brand or if you miss your regular boiler maintenance appointments. For this reason, a lot of insurance providers don’t include boiler coverage in their insurance plans.
You may obtain some of the greatest landlord protection options available by purchasing landlord boiler insurance from us.
We try to give you the most appropriate boiler protection solution for your needs, ranging from basic boiler cover to more complete plans that include boiler service.
Landlord Boiler Cover FAQ
Who services a Landlords’s boiler?
A gas safe engineer (someone who is registered with Gas Safe) must do the gas safety checks. We suggest confirming that the Gas Safe registered engineer is qualified to work in that particular gas location.
The engineer’s Gas Safe Register registration card’s back plainly states this. Alternatively, you may check the Gas Safe Register website to see if the engineer or the company is listed.
Why should I service rental properties annually?
It’s a landlord’s responsibility as well as property owners to have their boiler serviced annually to prevent gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning, regular servicing allows your boiler to be energy efficient thus reducing energy bills.
It’s a worthwhile investment it also saves you big bucks instead of getting a replacement boiler. A faulty boiler is costly to service and repair.
What Is the Tenant responsible for in a Rented Property?
When it comes to getting a boiler serviced, tenants also have responsibilities. The boiler must first be checked by renters to make sure there is no damage beyond normal wear and tear. It would be the tenant’s duty to pay for repairs if they physically harmed the boiler.
Here at Easy Boilers, we offer boiler servicing for landlords at a one-off cost to help take the hassle out of heating.
We understand renting out a property can be stressful and the last thing you need as a landlord is a phone call from your tenant saying the boiler is on the blink. That’s why we’re here to help with our range of boiler servicing options.
One-Off Boiler Servicing For Landlords
As a landlord, you want to make sure your tenant can rely on their boiler to be operating efficiently especially on those cold winter nights. The boiler in your rental property works hard through the winter months so, there’s no better time to service your boiler and make sure it’s in working safely, efficiently and in good condition.
Ensuring the boiler in your rental property is serviced annually is a statutory requirement. Here at Easy Boilers, we want to make the process as easy as possible for you with our boiler servicing options for landlords.
Boiler Servicing For Landlords
At Easy Boilers, our team of boiler service engineers are all Gas Safe registered and are always ready to help you. Below are the boiler servicing options we offer for landlords:
