New research from Gas Safe Register found that 54% of UK homeowners could see a future claim in relation to their gas boiler rejected, by underestimating some of the typical clauses of home insurance emergency cover policies, as well as boiler warranties.
However, 79% of UK homeowners admit how important it is to have protection policies in place for house-related emergencies.
The new research found that 21% of homeowners wouldn’t be able to afford to pay out any more than £1,000 for any kind of emergency home repair, without relying on a loan or help from others. This figure rises to 36% of homeowners that couldn’t afford to pay more than £2,000 on any given emergency repair.
However, with 9% having had a claim made to insurers rejected – often due to simple errors that make a policy invalid, homeowners could be left vulnerable to footing an expensive bill for fixing faults that they thought would be covered under their household protection policies.
A total of 11% have had to rely on credit cards or loans to pay for unexpected repairs, 6% have had to call on family or friends and 5% claim they’ve been left in debt as a result.
With over 12.4m homeowners not being fully aware of what could invalidate their boiler warranties or the conditions of their insurance policies, Gas Safe Register said it has assembled a team of consumer champions and property experts including TV property expert Martin Roberts and TV consumer rights expert Martyn James. The registration body said this team is to help warn homeowners of the financial and safety implications of not regularly servicing and safety checking their gas boilers, and the importance of taking action during the spring months after a cold winter of usage.
The Gas Safe Register added that experts recommend that homeowners should get all gas appliances (boilers, cookers and fires), flues and pipework, regularly maintained and serviced annually by a suitably qualified and competent Gas Safe Registered engineer. However, the new data reveals that for 22% homeowners, their gas boilers were last serviced by a registered engineer more than a year ago.
Checkatrade estimates the average cost is £100 a year to have a gas appliance safety checked, to avoid unexpected and potentially more serious issues occurring. In contrast, if a boiler breaks down, each call-out could cost up to £200 and replacing a boiler – including the fitting costs – can cost up to £5,000.
With 26% of homeowners admitting they’ve never read their policy in full and 15% claiming it confuses them, the Gas Safe Register team has encouraged everyone to ‘get up to scratch’ on the T&Cs to avoid being left out of pocket and potentially without hot water and heating if it’s a boiler-related issue.
Rob Denman, head of professional and field services at Gas Safe Register, said: “Boilers are among one of the most important appliances within our homes, as it keeps us warm when it’s most needed – so it’s important that we stay on top of their upkeep.
“A regularly serviced boiler not only keeps it working efficiently, helping reduce bills, but can also reduce the risk of gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning – keeping you and your loved ones safe. It is also a stipulation of most insurance and warranty policies, which could mean your claim is unsuccessful for a boiler breakdown, repair or replacement, should you need one.
“Many engineers get busier in the autumn and winter months when central heating within homes is turned on, and at a time when badly maintained boilers throw up problems. By booking in your annual boiler service now, to detect early signs of wear and tear, replace any faulty parts and help keep it well maintained before it will be in constant use again this autumn, you can minimise disruption to your household.”