A landlord’s guide to boiler maintenance
We’ve already covered why boiler maintenance is important for saving money and making sure a property is being heated efficiently. However, if you are the owner of a rental property or someone that lives in a rental property, there are other reasons to have a regular schedule of boiler maintenance in place. These responsibilities are important to be aware of, as it could result in fines as well as unexpected costs. This guide covers everything you need to know.
What are a landlord’s responsibilities for heating?
It is a legal obligation under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 that the owners of rental properties make sure their buildings are safe and comfortable. This includes the provision of working central heating and hot water outlets. The act states landlords must ‘keep in repair and proper working order the installations in the dwelling-house for space heating and heating water’. Responsibilities are also established by the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, which requires any gas appliances be in a safe condition. This means it falls to the landlord to source boiler spares and parts for repairs when necessary.
While tenants have some responsibility in regards to boiler maintenance, this is often limited to reporting issues and making sure the heating is only running when needed. However, there may be cases where the tenancy agreement stipulates that occupants are responsible for maintaining external pipes and general cleaning.
Consequences of non-compliance
If you are found to be in breach of the regulations, this will result in limited heating within the property. Depending on the level of insulation, ineffective heating could impact tenant health and even lead to property damage in the form of damp issues. In the case of the latter, failure to conduct boiler maintenance could reduce the value of the property over time. Non-compliance can also result in fines and potential legal action.
How to go about boiler maintenance
It’s recommended that a boiler undergoes two checks during the year – a gas safety check and a boiler service check. The first of these is a legal requirement that must be carried out by a qualified GasSafe engineer. While a service isn’t a requirement, it’s often needed to maintain the boiler’s warranty. However, maintaining the functionality of a boiler can be made easier with the following practices:
- Ensure all pipework is in a good condition.
- Provide new tenants with a copy of a valid gas safety check before they move in, along with a copy of the last gas safety report.
- Have the capability to arrange boiler repairs quickly.
- Have working CO2 alarms installed in every habitable room.
- Safely store copies of all gas safety reports for at least two years.
As a landlord, it’s important to be organised so issues can be resolved quickly, and any costs can be forecasted. These measures can also protect you from legal implications. Repairs will be more costly depending on which boiler part is defective. For instance, a heat exchanger boiler cost is likely to be far greater than a simple wiring replacement.
Boiler maintenance tips
- Educate tenants on how the central heating system works, its various parts, and how to recognise problems that need to be reported.
- Ensure the boiler is kept in a place with good ventilation.
- Service regularly.
- Release pressure from the system at least once a year by bleeding the radiators. Read ‘Is high boiler pressure dangerous?’ for more information.
Market leaders in boiler maintenance services
The primary goal of National Boiler Spares is to provide cost savings and improve environmental efficacy. We achieve this through the provision of quality parts and spares, delivered as soon as they are needed. We frequently work with qualified GasSafe engineers so that when a service check uncovers a problem with a certain boiler part, it can be resolved efficiently. This allows landlords to fulfil their duties and tenants to stay warm. Contact us if you have any questions.