Landlord Boiler Cover Review

It’s never good news when your tenant contacts you late on a winter’s night to say the boiler’s broken and there’s no heat in the property.

That’s where landlords’ boiler insurance comes to the rescue – firstly by arranging a quick repair, and secondly by covering the costs of parts and labour.

Let’s take a closer look at landlord boiler cover, spotlighting its value, features, and pros and cons.

Is Landlord Boiler Cover Worth It?

Landlord boiler insurance is worth it if you want to avoid the financial hit of unexpected, expensive boiler repairs. It offers landlords peace of mind that they can take care of unbudgeted boiler breakdowns and emergency repairs.

The cover is useful when you aren’t based close to the rental property, don’t have a team of local tradespeople, and don’t hold a comprehensive boiler warranty.

What does landlord boiler insurance include?

Landlord boiler insurance typically includes:

• Boiler repair – including parts and labour
• Free annual boiler service
• Provision of Gas Safety Certificate (CP12 certificate)
• Unlimited or multiple callouts to attend to boiler issues
• Payment toward a new boiler
• 24/7 emergency helpline
• Online booking system
• Cover may also include central heating, electrical, and plumbing troubleshooting and repairs
• Repairs and services are completed by a Gas Safe Registered engineer or suitably qualified technician

Types of Landlord Boiler Cover Plans

Various plans and providers offer different levels of cover, generally ranging from core to comprehensive plans.

Basic plan

The basic plan usually offers:

• Boiler breakdowns and emergency repairs (up to a £1,500 limit, on average).
• Annual boiler service (not provided in some policies).
• Gas Safety Certificate.
• A small contribution toward the cost of a replacement boiler.

Average price: £9 a month

Standard plan

A standard plan includes that of the basic plan, plus:

• Coverage for the central heating system components like radiators and pipes.
• Higher contribution towards new boiler costs – around £750.

Average price: £15 monthly

Comprehensive plan

A comprehensive plan includes that of the standard plan, plus:

• Coverage for plumbing, electrical systems, and drainage.
• Gas Safety Certificates for multiple gas appliances in the property.
• Higher contribution towards new boiler cost – £1,000.

Average price: £22 monthly

What Are the Pros and Cons of Landlord Boiler Insurance?

Let’s look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of landlord insurance to help you decide if this is the right type of boiler cover for you.

Pros

• Saves you a sizeable bill due to costs incurred on unexpected boiler problems.
• Provides quick access to a network of vetted, qualified engineers.
• Peace of mind, especially if you let multiple properties with several boilers in different conditions.
• Assurance to your tenants that boiler malfunctions will be addressed urgently to restore heat and hot water.
• An annual boiler service. A yearly boiler service is important to ensure your heating unit functions safely and efficiently. It is also usually a condition of the warranty. Ongoing care and maintenance also extend the unit’s longevity.
• A payment towards a new boiler if the existing unit is beyond economical repair.
• Assurance that boiler financial emergencies are covered – considering that standard home insurance policies usually don’t cover boiler replacement or repairs unless you pay extra for home emergency cover.
• Most of the popular types of boilers are covered – including combi boilers, conventional gas units, and system boilers.

Cons

• If your boiler is covered by a comprehensive parts and labour warranty, boiler insurance may be an unnecessary expense.
• The excess or call-out fee can be over £100 (the call-out fee can often be reduced if you pay a higher premium).
• Not all boiler types are easy to insure. Back boilers and biomass boilers are often excluded from cover. Since gas-fueled units are the major market, electric boilers are harder to insure.
• Not all problems are covered by the insurance. The fairly common boiler problems of sludge and limescale buildup (which may require a system power flush) are frequently excluded. Expect pre-existing faults on the appliance to be excluded too.

Landlord Cover Claims Process

Here is a general outline of the claims process:

1. To initiate a claim, report your faulty boiler to your insurer by contacting their emergency helpline or through their online claims page.
2. The insurer will arrange a convenient time with you/your tenant for an engineer to inspect the unit.
3. The engineer will inspect the boiler to diagnose the problem.
4. After authorisation, the engineers will fix the boiler.
5. The insurer will cover the cost of repairs, parts, and labour as outlined in the policy. You will be responsible for the call-out fee.
6. Depending on the nature and extent of the damage, the insurer may decide it’s not cost-effective to repair the boiler and recommend a replacement instead. They will pay part of the new boiler cost (if it’s in the contract).

Many providers allow you to claim immediately after taking out the policy. Other only allow claims from 14 days after you’ve bought the insurance (there is usually a 14-day “cooling-off” period within which you can cancel your policy if you decide it’s not for you).

Landlords – Get a Boiler Insurance Quote Today 

Attention landlords: Costly boiler malfunctions can burn through your rental profits. Do you want fast, convenient access to a network of qualified Gas Safe engineers? Do you want peace of mind around your tenant’s comfort, boiler maintenance, and gas safety in your properties? Arrange landlord boiler cover today!

Contact us to receive a free, no-obligation quote for boiler insurance. Let us show you why Eco Happy is one of the most trusted boiler and heating services names in the UK.

FAQs

What should landlords consider when choosing a boiler cover policy?

Landlords choosing boiler insurance should consider factors such as the extent of coverage, whether it includes annual servicing, the response time for repairs, customer reviews, and the overall cost. It’s also important to check if the policy covers the specific make and model of your boiler.

How much does landlord boiler cover cost?

The average cost of boiler cover for landlords is around £9 to £14 per month. This means you can expect to pay around £108 to £156 per year for basic boiler cover. The cost of more comprehensive plans that include central heating, plumbing, and electrical cover ranges from £180 to £300 per year.

How much does a boiler service cost?

An oil or gas boiler service costs an average of £65 to £120, depending on your location, boiler model, and technician’s rate. Electric boiler servicing is usually slightly cheaper at around £60 to £110.

Do landlords have to have a CP12 certificate?

Landlords renting out properties are required by law to hold a CP12 certificate. A CP12 certificate verifies that all gas appliances in the rental property are safe to use, and landlords have a legal obligation to present the Gas Safety Certificate as evidence.

Does a boiler need to be covered?

It’s not mandatory to insure your boiler. However, to protect yourself against the financial risk of malfunctioning boilers, it’s highly recommended that you hold some form of boiler warranty, boiler insurance, or boiler care plan.

Our Verdict

Boiler and central heating cover is a valuable part of broader landlord insurance. As a landlord, you are legally responsible for ensuring the safety and functionality of your rental property’s heating system.

Boiler insurance cover delivers a fast, efficient solution to ensure your tenants are not left in the cold. All work is carried out on an urgent basis by Gas Safe certified engineers for peace of mind.