British Gas HomeCare Boiler Cover review – Is it worth the money?
This in-depth British Gas Homecare review will discuss everything, from pricing details to online reviews and package details.
Let’s start by giving you an overview of what is on offer and then we’ll look at determining which boiler cover you require.
Get new boiler quotes online >
Then, we will explain the key differences between Homecare boiler cover products and whether it might be a better option to spend your money on a new boiler installation with 12 years warranty!
Cheaper Boiler Cover >British Gas Boiler Cover Plans
Widely recognised and used in the UK, British Gas boiler cover is a great option for homeowners looking for options. This boiler cover is called HomeCare and includes a range of different options
If you have a new boiler from British Gas or anyone for that matter, then you will require an annual boiler service. This is an option and involves a boiler inspection by a qualified technician who will inspect your boiler and ensure it’s ready for next year.
British Gas plumbing cover is a British Gas boiler service to help homeowners protect their plumbing systems from unexpected breakdowns and emergencies. With plumbing cover, customers receive assistance and support in the event of issues such as leaks, burst pipes, blocked drains, and other plumbing-related problems.
However, you just get to have the bare minimum covered for a one-off repair should something go wrong with your current system…
British Gas boiler breakdown cover
When choosing the best boiler cover there is luckily a wide range of options. You can also opt for a British Gas boiler breakdown cover, which covers only the cost of repairs if your boiler fails.
For £2.50 per month, you could choose to have the boiler and control cover or just for repairs to your central heating system, boiler controls, and central heating system. This is just a fraction of what it costs.
| Boiler breakdown cover | £2.50 / month | £30 / year |
| Central heating breakdown cover | £5.50 / month | £66 / year |
How much does a British Gas boiler service cost?
A British Gas boiler service costs will vary between £85 and £125 depending on where you live.
This is why they can’t give a fixed price for a service on their website, as the service price is higher in areas such as London and other big cities.
This fluctuation in cost is normal throughout the country. Still, you are likely to get a cheaper quote from a different company as British Gas boiler services are quite expensive compared to other heating engineers.
| British gas boiler service cost | £85 – £125 |
Why choose to be a British Gas Homecare customer?
Boiler repairs can be costly. British Gas Homecare Boiler Cover allows you to pay a monthly fixed fee that covers you for repairs and breakdowns.
Depending on the package you select, you may also be covered for heating or plumbing problems.
British Gas Home Care offers heating and boiler cover for UK residents. They can help you reduce your heating bills, arrange home insurance, and assist you with plumbing and drain repair.
British Gas is the UK’s largest domestic energy provider. It has also been a leader in the boiler cover market.
However, Worcester Bosch Via HomeServe provides excellent boiler and heating cover.
You should only purchase a boiler cover if you are at high risk of losing your boiler.
You should consider getting a boiler cover if you are unable to repair it yourself or have the boiler manufacturer fix it under warranty.
Cheaper Boiler Cover >HomeCare Boiler Cover Pros
- You can choose from a variety of British Gas HomeCare products to meet your monthly cover needs.
- British Gas offers separate repair services if you don’t want to pay for British Gas services.
- A well-known brand provides prompt and courteous customer service.
- You can get an annual boiler check-up and repair service to increase boiler longevity.
- This plan is also available for homeowners and businesses.
HomeCare Boiler Cover Cons
- Price increases after the first year, “Your introductory price will have expired.” However, next year’s price plan will be tailored to your needs.
- Previous complaints have raised concerns about poor workmanship by British Gas engineers, as well as customer service and responsiveness.
- Customers complain about the high cost of services compared to other home-assistant companies.
- Like other similar companies, British Gas is increasingly using sub-contractors to allow for standards to slip.
British Gas HomeCare Plans & Packages
British Gas offers four packages:
- British Gas Homecare 1
- British Gas Homecare 2
- British Gas Homecare 3
- British Gas Homecare 4
All British Gas Home products come with an annual boiler service free of charge.
Otherwise, for a boiler service you can expect to pay between £80 and 120 depending on where you live and how much your service engineer charges.
All packages include a cover for boiler and controls. It will be repaired for free if your thermostat or boiler breaks down.
Homecare One, the most basic package, does not include the central heating cover. This is especially important if you have a heating system that uses a cylinder.
British Gas reviews of services
People read about the company in their reviews, like any service or product. British gas has over 94,000 reviews on the popular review site Trust Pilot. With an average of 3.1 stars, it’s fair to say people aren’t happy with their gas boiler services and British Gas boiler repair.
Cheaper Boiler Cover >Best British Gas homecare cover annually
HomeCare Two is the best overall option – this includes:
Annual boiler service is free (currently listed at £85 on the Homecare page).
The boiler and controls cover
Heating cover
You have a 14-day cooling period in case you need to cancel
Unlimited call outs & 247 service
British Gas HomeCare Boiler Cover Prices
Here are the British Gas HomeCare service options. Prices will vary depending on how much you pay, including or excluding the £60 excess, and whether you are requesting a monthly service.
You can see that extra services like drains and pipes will be more expensive, but you don’t have to fork out extra for them if they are not required.
Everything can be tailored to your needs. You can reduce the cost by choosing the £60 excess and paying annually for cover
Homecare One is an example:
The monthly payment is reduced by the voluntary excess of £60 from £26 to £17
The upfront payment of £204 is cheaper than the monthly total of £312
| Homecare plan | Monthly – £0 excess | Monthly £60 Excess | Annually £0 excess | Annually £60 excess |
| British Gas Homecare One | £26 | £17 | £312 | £204 |
| British Gas Homecare Two | £23.75 | £15.42 | £285 | £185 |
| British Gas Homecare Three | £35.42 | £19.17 | £425 | £230 |
| British Gas Homecare Four | £40.83 | £21.67 | £490 | £260 |
| *prices correct and include two months free as of 25/05/2022 |
British Gas HomeCare one
British Gas HomeCare One will set you back £204 per year. This is the cheapest plan, so you can see this is the most basic and leaves a little to be desired. This covers your annual boiler service as well as future repairs if your boiler breakdowns. This does not cover the gas central heating system.
British Gas HomeCare Two
British Gas HomeCare Two offers the same benefits as the One but also covers central heating breakdown cover and boiler repairs. The cost of this annual service is £222 per year. This plan is a bit better value for money in terms of what you get and what can be repaired.
Cheaper Boiler Cover >British Gas HomeCare Three
British Gas HomeCare Three options are the same as the Two but include plumbing and drain cover. The cost of this annual service is £276 per year. If you are worried about your drainage or neighbours clogging it up with baby wipes, this one is for you.
British Gas HomeCare Four
British Gas HomeCare Four is the same as Three but covers repairs to electrical wiring and fuse boards inside and out by a British Gas engineer. The cost of this annual service is £312 per year. This is pretty much the full work and covers most things. Make sure you read the small print to make sure anything you are worried about is covered.
Cheaper Boiler Cover >Best option? – British Gas Homecare Two
Let’s say that we are eliminating the need for Homecare Three or Homecare Four due to additional costs and expenses for heating repairs. Homecare One will also be discarded as it does not include heating cover.
We are left with Homecare Two, which we believe is the best and most affordable option.
We would use any excess. It is very small at £60, which greatly affects the overall cost.
Homecare Two is now less expensive at £18.50 per month than previously. This drops the total price and makes this British Gas Homecare worth £222 for a full year.
Why get British Gas boiler cover?
Play this one out in your head. It’s winter in the UK, and your hot water suddenly stops working. Next, your heating also stops working.
A broken heating system in your home can make it unsafe and uncomfortable. Are you going to regret not having home heating or boiler insurance if you and your family find themselves in the throes of winter?
British Gas HomeCare is here to help.
What should you consider before purchasing HomeCare cover?
Most people take their heating and boiler for granted. You might not be familiar with boiler covers unless you have been charged a bill or looked into your home plans.
Understanding Why HomeCare Cover is Important
First, you should understand whether a boiler cover is necessary. It will not be necessary if everything works as it should, but it will be crucial if something goes wrong.
You don’t want to find yourself with a broken boiler in winter. The boiler cover lets you quickly call someone to repair a boiler or to replace any controls to get the boiler working again.
Many people need boiler covers.
Do you need HomeCare?
Even if your boiler is unlikely to fail, unless you are a professional gas engineer or a handy DIY expert, having a backup plan can give you peace of mind. British Gas HomeCare provides many types of coverage and services. But we’ll get to those in a moment.
How much do you know about your old boiler?
First, you need to know what type of boiler you have. There are three types of boilers: combination (combi), system, or open vent.
Combi boilers provide instant hot water and heating with one box. Unvented hot water storage is used to create system boilers.
However, they also include a pump and sometimes an diverter valve.
The heat-only boiler is very basic. It heats your central heating system and allows hot water to be stored for later use.
This article provides a more detailed look at the different types of boilers.
It could be more difficult to get boiler cover if you don’t know what type of boiler it is. Some boiler technicians may not be able to work with older boiler models.
The customer service team can help you identify your boiler and other heating components. A data badge will provide a G.C. number and a make/model if the manual is unavailable. The boiler cover process is made easier by familiarizing yourself with the boiler.
Who needs HomeCare Cover?
A boiler cover is not necessary for everyone. You can skip getting a boiler cover if you are skilled in fixing boilers and hold the appropriate Gas Safe qualifications.
Perhaps your neighbour is a gas engineer. If you have neighbours or friends who work in this industry, you can forget boiler cover for the cost of a cup of tea and some biscuits. Tenants don’t usually have to cover boiler repairs or cover. This is because it’s the landlord’s responsibility.
Also, consider how old your boiler is.
All new boilers come with a warranty if registered by the original installer.
Your boiler’s warranty will last at least two years from its purchase date. It could even be extended to ten years. Some manufacturers now offer 12-year warranties on certain models.
However, this warranty is not mandatory if you are purchasing a boiler. This warranty covers the manufacturer or the appointed agent. However, it may take longer to repair your boiler than with a care program. We go into more detail in the article.
Boiler covers can be expensive for those who don’t have the expertise to install a boiler or are not qualified. You should purchase a boiler cover if your boiler’s warranty expires.
A standard plumber might be able to clear pipes from a boiler, but most plumbers don’t have the training to repair boilers.
You will need to call a heating engineer like those at British Gas HomeCare.
Alternatives to British Gas HomeCare Boiler Cover Options
Here are some alternatives to British Gas services if you don’t wish to use them.
- Easy Boilers
- Homeserve
- 24/7 Home Rescue
- Hometree
- Corgi Homeplan
- Warranty People
- EON ( who use Homeserve)
Local or small-chain heating companies
There are many boiler maintenance and installation services available in your local area which could be of assistance to you beyond British Gas.
Although they don’t usually offer boiler cover services, it is possible to call them when your boiler breaks down and not have to pay for any cover if your boiler is working fine.
Local businesses may be able to provide faster service as engineers are less likely to travel. They also might be more affordable than the monthly coverage.
Local businesses are more beneficial for the economy. They will also offer a personal service because you’ll likely always have the same engineer.
- Boiler cover is not usually offered by most insurance companies.
- Repairs that are less expensive
- Same-day service
- Better for your pocket overall
- Better customer service
How to cancel British Gas Homecare
If you have decided that you no longer longer want to continue with Homecare then there are certain things you need to know. To cancel Home care you will ahve to ring British Gas, but how much you are charged will vary depending on how long you have been with them.
You can cancel within 14 days
With Homecare you can cancel within 14 days if you change your mind. If it is after 14 days then you need to consider possible other charges and just cancelling the direct debit doesn’t mean that the agreement is cancelled too. You will need to call the Homecare team to discuss this.
How do you contact Homecare British Gas?
To contact the Homecare team, there are several ways you can do this:
- Contact Number: 0333 200 8899
- Log in to your online account
- Online chat
Alternatively you can write to them at:
Services Customer Relations,
PO Box 699
Winchester
SO23 5AR
