Cost of living: Nearly half of the people in the UK cannot afford boiler repairs

Nearly half of the people in the UK cannot afford boiler repairs, servicing or replacement 

The cost of living crisis means people are delaying essential boiler maintenance making them less efficient, more energy consuming, with a higher risk of dangerous failure.

In the UK, gas and oil boilers should be serviced once a year.  Not doing so increases the risk of faults and could lead to higher energy bills and the early end of a warranty.

There’s another cost consideration too. Boilers become less efficient over time. This means using one for its full theoretical design life of 10 years can potentially cost more in the long-run – particularly if it’s left to run without regular servicing and maintenance.  

JustServicesGroup.com has done some research to see if the current cost of living crisis is preventing people from getting essential maintenance or replacement of their boilers. 

According to their research, half of the people in the UK (46%) are putting off boiler repair, service or replacement; 23% blame this on the cost of living crisis and a further 23% say it is because they simply cannot afford to. 

This number soared in the UK’s capital where the cost of living is having a big impact; 90% of Londoners admitted that they are putting off boiler management as they cannot afford the repair, servicing or replacement. 

Over a quarter (26%) of people in the UK have C and D rated boilers, which means they are between 10 and 15 years old. And 9% have E and F rated boilers, which means the efficiency is as low as 70% – 78% and could be 20 years old. 

In fact, JustServicesGroup.com research showed that only 12% of people in the UK have the recommended ‘A’ boiler rating with 90% and above efficiency.    

Although many are avoiding boiler replacement, a new boiler will save money in the long run. A 20+ year old boiler will be extremely inefficient so upgrading to a more modern model could likely save around £340 per year (if set up correctly).

Co-founder of JustServicesGroup.com Chris Burls said: “The cost of living is impacting everyone currently, but it is important to emphasize that putting off essential boiler repairs is not where people should be thrifty. Not only will it be more costly in the long run – on a completely new boiler or high energy bills – it can be extremely dangerous for families to live somewhere with a faulty boiler.

“It is important that your boiler is serviced once a year and that it is fixed and fitted by a qualified boiler specialist so it is safe and performing at full capacity.”