British Gas has a range of landlord products to cover problems with your boiler and to help you avoid expensive bills from boiler faults and breakdowns. You don’t have to purchase this type of cover but it will give you peace of mind that you won’t have to pay for costly repairs when something goes wrong.
As a landlord, it is your legal responsibility to cover the cost of repairs if the boiler at your rental property breaks down. Having a qualified engineer available for emergencies means your boiler can be repaired quickly and you can keep your tenants happy and warm.
Why choose British Gas HomeCare:
- Call day and night if things go wrong
- British Gas can speak directly with your tenants
- Unlimited call outs every year[2]
- Online engineer booking
HomeCare with a Gas Safety Certificate covers most of the things you’d expect, though there are a few exceptions please see full terms & conditions for details.
What’s Covered
You can choose from four landlord boiler cover products, some of which include British Gas taking care of your central heating, drains, plumbing or electrics as well as your boiler. The British Gas HomeCare plans are as follows:
| What is Covered | HomeCare Basic™ | HomeCare Essential™ | HomeCare Classic™ | HomeCare Complete™ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual boiler service* | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boiler and controls | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Central heating | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Plumbing | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Drains | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Home electrics | ✓ |
All British Gas HomeCare plans include a gas safety certificate for your boiler at no extra cost, parts, and labour, an unlimited number of repairs, and up to £1,000, including VAT, for getting access and making good of each repair.
What’s Not Covered
Every British Gas HomeCare plan has exclusions and certain things that it won’t cover, so make sure you check the terms and conditions before you sign up. Some of the general exclusions include:
- Cash won’t be offered instead of carrying out repairs or replacements
- Your plan only includes cover for your property if it is used for normal living purposes
- Pre-existing faults
- Work carried out by anyone other than British Gas
- Deliberate damage or misuse
- Damage linked to the supply of your gas, water or electricity
- External water supply stopcock
- Damage that’s covered by other kinds of insurance
- Software, internet communications or radio signals
- Communication connections
- Any loss or damage to furniture or fixings as a result of your boiler, appliance or system breaking or failing unless British Gas caused it
- Making improvements or upgrades
- Energy/central heating management systems
You can read the full list of exclusions in the terms and conditions, which can be found on the British Gas website.
How Much Does British Gas Landlord Boiler Cover Cost?
British Gas uses information about your location, such as property type and water hardness, to tailor the price you pay for landlord boiler cover. The prices we’ve shared in the table below show the minimum amount you can expect to pay for each HomeCare cover plan.
Pay Monthly Prices
| Excess | HomeCare Basic™ | HomeCare Essential™ | HomeCare Classic™ | HomeCare Complete™ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £60 | £21.00 | £18.40 | £21.60 | £23.20 |
Just be aware that the renewal price is likely to be more than your introductory price. If you choose to pay by direct debit, your policy will automatically renew, but you will receive a reminder from British Gas and you can change or cancel your contract at this stage.
Which? Verdict
The latest satisfaction survey completed by Which? members who have HomeCare cover reveals that British Gas is an average provider, even though it came in second place. We don’t know for sure if any landlords took part in the survey or if it was just homeowners, but the following information should give you a better idea of what you can expect from the products and services British Gas provides to customers.
Below, you can find the data results for British Gas HomeCare cover, which we sourced from the Which? website.
*Which? test conducted in August 2020
Pros and Cons
If you’re thinking about signing up for a landlord HomeCare cover plan from British Gas, you need to weigh up the pros and cons so that you can make an informed decision.
Pros
- Unlimited number of repairs
- Covers parts and labour costs for repairs
- Breakdown helpline is open 24/7
- 14-day cooling-off period
- Landlords can cover up to 10 properties
- A gas safety certificate is included at no extra cost
Cons
- Some boilers are not eligible
- Improvement work may need to be carried out to qualify for cover
- Which? test results reveal that British Gas is an average provider
Is British Gas Landlord Boiler Cover Worth the Cost?
It depends on whether you’re happy to pay for any boiler repairs or you’d rather have peace of mind that you have this type of cover. You may have boiler cover included in your landlord insurance or the boiler at your rental property might still be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. If this is the case, you may not need to sign up for a British Gas HomeCare plan right now. However, you will need to find an engineer to fix your boiler and they might not be able to get the repairs done quickly.
If your boiler isn’t covered by your landlord’s insurance or its warranty, it might be wise to sign up for a cover plan. The cost to repair a boiler in the UK can vary depending on the problem but we do know that you can expect to pay anything from £150 to fix minor issues or from £390 for more serious faults. Given that the cheapest British Gas landlord boiler cover plan is £192 a year and it includes a gas safety certificate and an annual boiler service, you will save money if you sign up and need emergency boiler repairs.