Have you accidentally missed your boiler’s annual service?
With bills to pay, car insurance to renew, paperwork to stay on top of… it can become a bit difficult to keep track of it all, can’t it? Don’t worry, I know the feeling all too well.
Your boiler’s annual service is probably quite low down on your list of priorities, and especially if you don’t receive a letter from your installer, it can be all too easy to forget about.
At Superwarm, we’ve come to the aid of many customers who’ve technically let their boiler run out of warranty, and the good news is: it’s not the end of the world.
Below, I’m going to give you some helpful tips and advice on what to do if you suspect you’ve missed your boiler’s annual service.
Whose responsibility is it to arrange an annual service?
Unfortunately, it’s your responsibility as a customer to arrange an annual service for your boiler. However, this isn’t always clearly explained and therefore can seem a bit confusing.
In the past, I’ve seen a lot of cases where homeowners have gotten a new boiler installed with a five-year guarantee, and they’ve used a small company to carry out the work.
The small company in question simply doesn’t have the processes in place to keep track of when every single boiler needs a service, and so they don’t pursue it a year down the line.
However, the customer still thinks they are covered for five years, and are confused when they find their warranty is out-of-date.
Personally, I never let this happen, as we always ensure we send three or four email reminders and sometimes even a letter by snail mail to remind a customer of when their boiler is due for a service.
What to do if you miss an annual service
If you suspect you have missed your annual service, contact the manufacturer and check whether your warranty is still valid. If you have missed a service, there may be a little lee-way in terms of validity.
If you have missed your annual service and your boiler has slipped out of warranty, your next step is to call an accredited Gas Safe Registered installer.
Explain the situation and ask if there is anything you can do to bring this up-to-date (bear in mind, this may incur a small charge but it is normally worth paying).
TIP: Ensure you get the log booked filled out when your boiler is serviced, and check you will be given a proof of service receipt.
How to avoid missing a service in future
I find one of the best ways to avoid missing a service ever again – and many of my own customers do this – is to set up a monthly direct debit or standing order with your preferred company.
Superwarm have recently started doing this, and it means that you pay a little every month to cover the cost of your annual service (usually £90 spread over 12 months at £7.50 per month).
So, once a year, the company will get in touch with you to arrange the service as part of your price plan, as this has now become their responsibility to do so – even better, the cost is already covered.
TIP: Whenever you have a new boiler installed (or serviced with a new company), always check your chosen engineer will contact you in a year’s time. There’s no point in getting a 10-year guarantee and losing it through no fault of your own.
Conclusion
If you’ve forgotten about your boiler’s annual service, try not to panic. It’s easily done, especially as we have so much to remember about in our daily lives. Sometimes it’s not always clear whether the installer should be sending you reminders or whether you need to call them.
If you think you may have missed an annual service, the first thing you should do is call the manufacturer to check your warranty is still valid (there may be some lee-way).
If your boiler has slipped out of warranty, your next step is to call an accredited Gas Safe Registered installer to see if there is anything they can do to bring it back up-to-date (you may have to pay a charge for this).
One of the best ways to ensure you never miss a service again is to set up a monthly direct debit or standing order with your preferred heating engineer – think of it as sort of like a service plan. This means it becomes their responsibility to contact you and arrange a service, plus the cost will be spread out over a year.
Have you ever missed your boiler’s annual service?
