Cost of boiler cover increases
As households continue to struggle to make ends meets ahead of what is expected to be another tough winter, uSwitch.com, the independent price and comparison switching service, reveals that the cost of boiler cover has soared. Prices have rocketed by up to 20% with the average price now over 13% higher than a year ago.
Last year the average price of boiler cover was £125 - this year it is £142. Worryingly, last year the cheapest cover on the market came in at just £67. This year the same cover is £80 - £13 or 20% a year more.
Yet despite this, boiler cover remains cost effective, especially when compared with the cost of repairing or replacing a boiler if things go wrong. Even after these increases boiler cover still costs only £142 a year on average or just under £12 a month. In comparison, it can cost as much as £1,200 to replace the four key boiler parts - the equivalent of paying £142 for boiler cover for almost 8 and a half years.
Boiler cover can also help protect customers' health as well as their wallets. Some plans include a free annual safety check. Not only will consumers be saving money by having a policy that includes this vital check, but they could also be saving their health. Carbon monoxide poisoning is responsible for 50 deaths each year in the UK and having an annual gas safety check is a recommended step to safeguard your family and home.
Ann Robinson, Director of Consumer Policy at uSwitch.com, says: "With household budgets continuing to be stretched, consumers may be tempted to make savings wherever they can. While sensible cutbacks such as delaying switching the heating on and turning the temperature down slightly will help save money without any serious side effects, going without boiler cover could leave you in a very difficult position financially if your boiler packs up. If you don't have savings and would struggle to meet an unexpected bill then boiler cover may be worth looking at for peace of mind.
"Those who have cancelled or decided against cover might think they are just taking a chance with their money, but if they are also not getting their boiler checked they are taking a chance with their health. Some policies provide a free annual gas safety check as part of the service. As well as offering peace of mind it also means busy householders will be prompted to book in a service every year.
"Doing your homework is key to getting good value for any service, and boiler cover is no exception. You don't have to take cover from your energy provider, you just need to look around and get the best level of cover and price for you. By making monthly payments from as little as £6.69 a month, you can avoid the risk of being stung with a large and unexpected bill in the middle of winter."
uSwitch.com's top heating cover tips
1) You don't have to sign up for heating cover with your standard gas supplier, choose the most appropriate cover to suit your needs
2) An annual service and safety inspection helps reduce the chance of fatal carbon monoxide leaks and improves energy efficiency
3) Boilers that are not regularly serviced will produce less heat from the gas consumed, which in turn means they cost more to run
4) Often, a boiler will break down without warning. Sometimes when one part starts to go wrong other problems rapidly follow. Here are a few tell-tale signs to watch out for:
a. The radiators don't get as hot as they should
b. It takes a long time to get hot water from the taps
c. Strange banging noises could mean trouble, so call for help straight away
5) To help prevent boiler bother, you can:
a. Make sure that you keep the whole area around the boiler clean
b. Have regular maintenance checks
c. Don't overheat your house
6) Turning your central heating thermostat down by 1 degree Celsius could save you up to 10% on bills
7) Replacing an old conventional boiler with a high-efficiency condensing boiler will save you around a third on your heating bill, and up to 40% with the right heating controls
8) Carbon Monoxide is the ‘silent killer' - poisoning can be avoided by ensuring that fuel-burning appliances have the correct level of ventilation. Never allow chimneys or air vents to become blocked. Have your appliances checked by a Gas Safe Register engineer once a year.