Last year, nearly one in five homes had their boilers break down, costing an average of £245 each time it happened.
It’s getting to that time of year when boiler problems start to crop up, and they can cause some of the worst headaches for landlords – outside of the repair cost.
The research, conducted by USwitch, found that the total cost of broken boilers in the UK was £725 million, which on average is £245 for each boiler breakdown.
Unfortunately, a broken boiler can have knock on effects – or be a symptom of other problems.
Dangerous gas leaks can be part of the breakdown, or it could be caused by broken or frozen pipes, particularly as we head into colder weather.
On top of that, if your boiler is out of action for a while, you may have to provide your tenants with alternative accommodation.
USwitch identified the following early warning signs that something could go wrong with your boiler:
Of course, it’s a lot harder to keep your eye on your boiler when you don’t live in the property. But you can advise your tenants to keep an eye out for the above, either by telling them or leaving printed instructions on the boiler. You can also take a look at the boiler when you do your regular inspections.
While prevention is better than cure, sometimes things go wrong – particularly in the winter months.
Having a comprehensive landlord insurance policy in place can help, providing cover for things from burst pipes to the cost of giving your tenants temporary accommodation. You can even add in home emergency cover, which gives you access to a 24/7 helpline that you or your tenants can call, as well as £250 towards the repair or replacement of your boiler.
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