Do I need boiler cover as a landlord?
While boiler cover isn’t a legal requirement for you as a landlord, it’s something you should consider taking out for additional peace of mind.
Boiler breakdowns happen, but that does not make them any less expensive or any less stressful for you and your tenants.
Having boiler cover in place should mean the costs of repairing or replacing a broken boiler in your rental property are covered.
It should also mean you can get a plumber to fix the problem quickly, as many boiler cover policies offer 24/7, 365-days-per-year plumber callouts.
It is worth remembering that boilers, more often than not, break down in the winter when plumbers are inundated with other water-based home emergencies.
So, having someone available to fix your boiler through your cover during busy times could be worth its weight in gold to your tenants.
Boiler cover: Things to consider
As with any kind of insurance policy, it is important you know what you are signing up for when you take out boiler cover for your rental property.
Things you will need to consider include:
The age of your boiler – many policies will not cover boilers that are more than seven years oldCall-out caps – some policies include a limit on the number of times you can use their emergency call-out serviceWhat is covered – find out what is covered in your policy and look out for additional charges for certain parts or labourThe excess – how much will you have to pay towards repairs or replacement of your boiler?The monthly premium – policy costs vary hugely and the cheapest or most expensive might not always be the best policy for you
Can a landlord claim for a new boiler?
As a landlord, you can offset certain expenses against your income tax bill.
If your rental property boiler breaks down, you should be able to offset what you spend on repairing or replacing it as an ‘allowable expense’.
However, if you have insurance cover and this pays entirely for replacement or repair of your broken boiler, you would not be able to offset this against your tax bill.
Any additional costs you incur when repairing or replacing your boiler, that aren’t covered by your insurance policy, can be claimed as an expense, though – for instance, decoration work to restore the wall the boiler is attached to.
Does a landlord have to fix a boiler?
Boiler repairs are certainly classed as an emergency when it comes to your tenants, so fixing or replacing a boiler quickly is key to your obligations as a landlord.
Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, tenants have the right to expect their landlord to carry out all repairs in a ‘reasonable time’.
But when it comes to emergency repairs, which boilers fall under, you are expected to fix or replace the boiler within 24 hours.
Landlord insurance with boiler cover
Landlord insurance is key for anyone renting out a property to tenants.
As well as covering a whole host of things, many landlord insurance policies also cover boiler repairs and replacement, too.
Landlord boiler service and gas safety certificate
Boiler insurance should cover you for repair or replacement of a broken boiler.
But many policies also include annual servicing of your rental property boiler and a gas safety certificate.
As a landlord, you are obligated to undertake a gas safety inspection at your rental property every year.
The certificate should also be given to your tenants within 28 days of the check being completed.
Again, using a trusted managing agent like Martin & Co to look after your property can provide real peace of mind, with annual gas safety certificates included in our Essential Managed and Premium Managed packages.
