Boiler service plans explained

| Option | What it is | Who it suits | |---|---|---| | Pay as you go | Book and pay for a service once a year | Owners with a newer boiler under warranty, or anyone who likes to choose each year | | Service plan | Monthly payment that covers the yearly service and books it in | People who want reminders and spread costs | | Boiler cover | Insurance that pays for some repairs, often with a service included | Owners of older boilers who want protection against repair bills |

Boiler cover is a regulated insurance product. Its terms decide what is paid for, and many policies exclude damage from sludge or limescale, or need a system check before cover starts. That matters in London, where hard water and older systems are common.

• Does the plan include a full service, with the case off and a combustion test?
• Is there a call out charge or excess for repairs?
• Are there age limits on the boiler?
• Are limescale and sludge damage excluded? If so, how will that be judged?
• Is a landlord gas safety record included or extra?
• How easy is it to cancel, and does the price go up after the first year?
• Who does the work, and are they Gas Safe registered?

Gas work in the UK must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Whoever you book, ask for the ID card and check it on the Gas Safe Register.

Ask too what the plan does if the engineer finds a problem at the service. Some plans include the repair, some quote it separately, and some exclude it altogether. Knowing that before you sign avoids a surprise in winter.

A new boiler from Worcester Bosch, Vaillant, Baxi, Ideal, Viessmann or Glow-worm comes with a maker's guarantee that covers faults for its term, as long as you meet the conditions, which usually include a yearly service. So repair cover can overlap with what you already have. What you do need is the yearly service, on time, and the record. Our boilers we service page lists what each maker says.

For older boilers outside warranty, the choice is more personal. Some people prefer cover. Others put money aside and pay for repairs when needed. Either way, a yearly service catches small faults before they become breakdowns.

Landlords in south and west London with several flats often care more about dates than monthly costs. Every gas safety record runs 12 months, and you can renew up to two months early and keep the expiry date. A simple list of addresses and due dates, booked two months ahead, keeps every property in line.