Many homeowners ask if a boiler needs a service every year. The answer depends on who you are.
For most homeowners, a yearly service is strong advice. For landlords, a yearly gas safety check is a legal duty. This guide explains what HSE says and how to check the engineer, since both matter.
What HSE advises
The Health and Safety Executive covers gas safety in Great Britain. Its domestic gas FAQ page advises that gas appliances, flues and pipework are installed and maintained by a Gas Safe registered engineer. It also advises that they are serviced at least once a year.
This is advice for householders, and it is strong. A boiler that is not checked can develop faults, because parts wear over time. However, a yearly visit gives an engineer the chance to spot a problem early.
What landlords must do
Landlords have a legal duty. HSE says a landlord must make sure that gas appliances and flues they provide have regular safety checks. All permanent and portable gas appliances and flues in the property need a gas safety check each year.
Only a Gas Safe registered engineer may do the check, according to HSE's page on who can do it. Tenants are responsible for appliances they own. A lodger who pays rent can make a householder a landlord for this purpose.
Drains work differently, since duties there depend on the boundary. Our guide to who is responsible for a blocked drain explains the split for tenants and landlords.
Check your engineer
Anyone who works on a gas appliance in a home must be Gas Safe registered. HSE says to check the back of the engineer's ID card, which lists the kind of gas work they can do. You can also check on the Gas Safe Register website.
Ask to see the card before work starts. Check that the photo matches the person, because a card can be borrowed. Also check that the work you want appears on the back of the card. Ask for a written quote too, since it shows what the visit covers.
What a service visit covers
The exact list differs between visits, so ask what is included. A service usually involves checking the boiler, its flue and its safety parts. Ask whether the visit includes a written record, and keep it with your papers.
Your boiler maker may also set its own rules. Some makers ask for a service each year, and your manual or paperwork says. Check the terms that came with your boiler, because they differ from one maker to the next. Still, the HSE advice applies in every case.
Carbon monoxide and unsafe boilers
HSE recommends carbon monoxide alarms that meet BS EN 50291. An alarm helps, but it is not a replacement for a service.
It is illegal to use a gas appliance that you suspect is unsafe. Turn it off, and do not touch it until a Gas Safe registered engineer has checked it. If you smell gas, open doors and windows while you shut off the supply at the meter control valve, if you know where it is. Then call the National Grid Gas Emergency freephone number, 0800 111 999.
Other boiler checks
A service is not the same as a repair. If the pressure keeps dropping, read low boiler pressure for safe checks. A leak under a floor may be the cause, while signs of a hidden water leak explains what to look for.
Floodwater and boilers do not mix. If water reached your boiler, see flooding from a drain or manhole before you switch it on. Our page on emergency drain services covers drain floods. A burst heating pipe needs quick action, so read burst pipe first steps.
Homes off the mains may use oil. Gas Safe registration covers gas work only, so ask any engineer which fuels they work on. Our guide to septic tank or mains drain explains how rural homes often differ.
Getting a service
Our page on boiler servicing explains what to ask before you book. If your boiler is already faulty, see our page on boiler repair. Ask for a written quote and a written record of the visit.
Help in your area
These pages cover boiler servicing for nearby areas. Each one explains what to prepare.
- Boiler servicing in Plymouth
- Boiler servicing in Tavistock
- Boiler servicing in Saltash
- Drainage services in Liskeard
- Drainage services in Kingsbridge
- Drainage services in Torpoint
You can also see every area covered in one place. Pick the page nearest to your home.