Boiler Service Cost Guide

An annual boiler service can save you money, prevent a breakdown and even save your life. Our Boiler Service Cost Guide will help you understand why it’s important to get your boiler serviced, what to look for when hiring an engineer, the various costs and prices involved and related servicing grants.

Why service your boiler?

Most of us don’t pay any attention to our boiler until it breaks down and we don’t have any hot water or heating. As they say, prevention is better than cure, and one of the best ways to prevent a boiler breakdown is to schedule an annual maintenance check. Here are the top reasons to get your boiler serviced:

1) Save money on repairs – an engineer will make sure your boiler is working correctly and pick up on any minor faults, which if left unrepaired, could cause major problems in the future. This could save you money on larger repair bills and emergency call-out fees.

2) A service could save your life – a faulty boiler can be extremely dangerous; around 20 people die every year in the UK from Carbon Monoxide (CO) leaks caused by faulty gas boilers and appliances; reports the Health and Safety Executive. A regular boiler service will detect any CO leaks, keeping you and your family safe from CO poisoning.

3) Reduce your fuel bills – a boiler engineer will make sure your boiler isn’t wasting energy; this can save you money on your fuel bills as well as cut your household carbon emissions.

4) Make sure your insurance is valid – many boiler warranties require you to have your boiler regularly serviced.

5) Stay legal– landlords are legally obliged to service boilers in their rental properties every year and must provide a valid Gas Safety certificate for gas boilers.

Boiler servicing prices

Your boiler manufacturer or energy supplier may provide you with an annual boiler service, if not; you’ll need to independently hire an engineer to service your boiler. The Energy Saving Trust (EST) says that the average costs of servicing a boiler are between £50 and £75; more specific costs are detailed below:

• Npower servicing prices start at £99
• British Gas charge from £69 for a boiler service check

Find out more about boiler servicing prices.

How much does it cost to service an oil-fired boiler?

An oil boiler will cost more to install, run and service, but if you live in a rural area which isn’t on the gas mains, this may be your only option. The average cost of oil boiler service will vary depending on where you live and the make of your boiler:

• Whatprice say that an oil boiler service costs between £50 and £180

Find out more about oil boiler servicing costs.

Fixed price boiler repairs

When servicing your boiler, an engineer may find that you need some repair work done. If this is the case, it may be a good idea to negotiate a fixed price boiler repair. Shop around for the best fixed price boiler repair prices; for example:

• British Gas fixed price boiler repairs start at £69
• Homeserve fixed price boiler repairs start at £58

Find out more about fixed price boiler repairs.

Hiring an engineer to service your boiler

You should have your boiler serviced every year, or more frequently if advised by the boiler manufacturer. Make sure you hire the right engineer for the job:

• Gas boiler service – by law anyone who installs, repairs or services gas appliances must be registered with Gas Safe
• Solid fuel boiler service – if you have a wood or coal burning boiler it’s best to hire a HETAS registered engineer to safely carry out your boiler service. HETAS advise regular cleaning of your chimney and flue in addition to boiler checks
• Oil boiler servicing – it’s a good idea to get your oil boiler serviced by an OFTEC registered engineer

Boiler servicing grants

You may be eligible for a grant towards the cost of servicing your boiler through one of these schemes:

• The Warm Front Scheme – for those living in England
• The Warm Home Scheme – for residents of Northern Ireland
• The Fuel Poverty Scheme – for Welsh residents
• Energy Supplier Grants – energy suppliers are required to offer discounts and grants for things like boiler servicing under Carbon Emission Reduction Targets (CERT)
• Local Government Grants – call your local authority to see whether you’re eligible for a boiler servicing grant

*Sources: Energy Saving Trust, Health and Safety Executive, Gas Safe, Npower, British Gas, Whatprice, Homeserve, HETAS, OFTEC, Directgov. All information is accurate as of January 2012