Cosy investments: the landlord’s guide to boiler cover
16 May 2024
If you’re thinking about renting out a property or have already started your landlord journey, it may be hard to know what you are obligated to provide as a landlord. There are certain laws that mean that you must supply heating and a working boiler so that the house is of a living-standard. One way that can you ensure that the boiler stays working efficiently when you don’t live at the property yourself is by getting gas boiler cover.
What is the landlord responsible for?
Within Section 11 of the Landlord & Tenant Act 1985* it states that landlords are legally obligated to maintain the property’s exterior, structure and installations within the property including water, heating systems, drainage, gas and electric. These laws apply whether you are renting out your property on a private or public tenancy agreement. This means that a landlord will need to ensure that any heating systems and boilers are working efficiently to heat the property, and that there are regular gas safety checks carried out.** For further advice on this for landlords, click here.
What is landlord insurance and what does it cover?
There are multiple types of landlord insurance that can cover you for different risks, from protecting the rental property to its contents. This insurance could help to protect the landlord from any fire and water damages, theft and vandalism, or unpaid rent. In terms of heating protection, landlord insurance may include some boiler cover such as breakdowns and burst pipes, but gas boiler breakdowns are not always included. If your landlord insurance doesn’t cover your boiler, we still suggest getting cover for your boiler elsewhere as this is still your responsibility to fix as a landlord.
Why boiler maintenance is important
Once you have a tenant living in a rental property, it would be required by law to have the boiler serviced every year. A yearly boiler service can help a boiler stay running at an efficient level and make the landlord aware of any smaller issues that may need repairing soon, before they get worse. Breakdown cover can help to provide the landlord with a safety net, so that the boiler can be repaired quickly when issues do arise and will have the costs covered.
What types of boiler cover and service plans does Swale Heating have available?
At Swale Heating we offer a boiler service plan, which includes a yearly service check from one of our qualified, Gas Safe registered engineers. This option for landlords’ costs either £138 upfront or only £11.50 per month. We also offer boiler cover plans, which include the yearly service check plus fully comprehensive breakdown cover, along with unlimited call outs 24-hours a day. This option costs £279 upfront or £23.25 per month, unless you have had a gas boiler installed by us at Swale Heating, then it costs £210 upfront or £17.50 per month. All of our landlord cover options include a yearly Landlord Gas Safety Certificate. Find out more about our boiler cover plans here.
Why choose Swale Heating to cover your boiler?
Swale Heating have over 50 years of experience in the heating industry. You can rest in the knowledge that all our engineers are Gas Safe registered and hold the relevant qualifications to install, service and repair your boiler.
We understand that you want to keep your property maintained, which is why we're available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can find out more about our boiler cover plans here and use our online portal to book your repair or annual service here.
When it’s time to just replace your boiler
Like almost any product, the newer it is, the more reliable it should be. This also applies to new central heating systems. Most boilers are now supplied with up to a 10-year manufacturer's guarantee, so you can rest assured your boiler will last you years to come. As a boiler starts aging past this guarantee, the likelihood of breakdowns increase and will cost you more in the long run as a landlord. You may decide that it is time to replace the boiler in your rental property with a newer ‘A’ rated boiler.
A new boiler installation from Swale Heating costs from as little as £1900, with finance plans available which could help you spread the cost. To find out more about our finance plans click here, or to get a free estimate for the installation cost, fill out our online estimator here or give our specialist advisors a call on 0800 731 33 44.
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