Boiler Breakdown Cover: A Guide for Landlords

One of the most costly and time consuming issues for any landlord has to be dealing with boiler callouts. If the boiler in your rental property is not as new as it once was, you could find yourself responding to issues more often than you’d like. One way of avoiding surprise costs and all the hassle associated with boiler repairs is to take out landlord boiler breakdown cover. Here’s how it works, what it includes, what it doesn’t include, and what to consider when arranging cover.

As a landlord, you have a legal responsibility to keep your property safe and fit for human habitation. This extends to finding a way to ensure boiler and gas safety in your rental.

The trouble with boiler repairs is that they tend to be costly, and they need a rapid response too, because leaving tenants without heating and hot water is out of the question.

This is precisely why landlord boiler breakdown cover was created, providing qualified engineers to respond quickly to boiler-related issues, and in some cases covering all the necessary landlord safety checks, providing an annual service, and the required Gas Safety Certificate (CP12).

Is boiler breakdown cover for landlords included in landlord insurance?

Landlord insurance covers a lot of things, but boiler breakdowns will need to be taken care of by a specialist standalone policy, or as an add-on to landlord cover.

Whatever way you take the insurance, it will usually cover you for repairs in the event of a breakdown, or replacement in the case of being unable to repair the boiler, minus the excess, and up to any limit set by the policy.

What types of landlord boiler breakdown cover are available?

There are three main ways to insure your boiler:

1. Boiler only insurance – as the name suggests, this insurance covers the boiler and its controls only. Whilst it’s the cheaper option, it won’t usually include repair costs for radiators and pipework.
2. Boiler and central heating cover – cover for your full central heating system, including the boiler, radiators, pipework and heating pumps.
3. Landlord home emergency cover – takes care of a range of home emergency issues as well as boiler repairs, including heating, plumbing, drainage, electrics, security, roofing and pest infestations. Whilst this cover is comprehensive, it does tend to come with limits, so be sure to check the small print.

What does landlord boiler breakdown cover take care of?

Boiler breakdown insurance for landlords generally covers the costs of repairing or replacing a faulty or damaged boiler in a buy-to-let property.

This usually encompasses the engineer callout charge, service or labour charges, replacement parts or a total boiler replacement where necessary, as well as any included servicing and regulatory inspections.

If you are looking for cover that extends to the gas supply pipe, gas appliances, carbon monoxide testing and the full central heating system, then you will need to look for a more comprehensive policy.

Most boiler types will be covered, including combi boilers, condensing boilers and conventional boilers. You may need a specialist policy for an oil or solid fuel boiler.

Are there any exclusions to look out for with boiler breakdown cover for landlords?

Always be clear on what is covered by your landlord boiler breakdown cover. Some policies carry exclusions, and it is best that these do not come as a surprise when you are in the midst of a boiler emergency.

Also look out for limits which apply to the age of the boiler. Many insurance providers will not cover boilers over 15 years old, and some have lower limits. The older the boiler, the more it will cost to insure, and some insurers may request an inspection from a Gas Safe registered engineer before they agree to issue cover.

Is boiler repair insurance a legal requirement for landlords?

Boiler repair insurance isn’t a legal requirement, but it does provide peace of mind for landlords and tenants, and can also help to keep you legally compliant in terms of annual servicing and Gas Safety checks.

Even if your boiler is covered under a manufacturer warranty, it is important to bear in mind that these don’t always cover emergency repair callouts, and that not all malfunctions will fall under the warranty.

Remember, under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, landlords are required to make sure that all gas equipment supplied in a rental property is safely installed and maintained by a Gas Safe registered engineer; to arrange an annual gas safety check on every gas appliance and flue, again by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and to provide tenants with a copy of the gas safety check record before they move in, or within 28 days of the check being carried out.

Looking to hand over your landlord maintenance responsibilities, AND guarantee your rent? Talk to homes2let.

Arranging landlord boiler breakdown cover and responding to emergency callouts for boiler repairs are just some of the many tasks that can make life as a landlord challenging.

If you’d rather take a back seat with your buy-to-let investment and hand over the daily maintenance and legal responsibilities, whilst also securing your monthly rental income, why not take a look at the homes2let guaranteed rent scheme?

Not only do we cover all the maintenance and legal compliance aspects of letting your property including arranging gas and electrical safety checks, we also cover all the legal costs, source and reference tenants, arrange all property inspections including mid-term, check-in, check-out and inventories, as well as paying your rent by standing order in advance every month, even during void periods.

To learn more about how the homes2let guaranteed rent scheme can bring calm into your life as a landlord, please get in touch.