Heating is essential, and it’s usually a home’s biggest energy cost, so it pays to get it right — whether you’re servicing an old boiler, replacing one, or switching to a heat pump. You also have consumer rights when the work isn’t up to scratch.
Your rights when you pay for the work
When you pay a business to install or repair a boiler, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 says the work must be done with reasonable care and skill, within a reasonable time, and for a reasonable price where none was agreed. If it isn’t, you can ask them to put it right or reduce the price. Any gas work must be done by a Gas Safe engineer, and it’s worth keeping the paperwork and any manufacturer’s warranty, which often requires an annual service to stay valid.
Servicing and choosing an installer
An annual service keeps a boiler running safely and efficiently and protects the warranty. When choosing an installer, use a Gas Safe engineer for gas boilers, or an MCS-certified installer for heat pumps, and get more than one quote for bigger jobs.
Upgrading to low-carbon heating
If you’re thinking of replacing a fossil-fuel boiler, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme offers a grant of £7,500 towards an air- or ground-source heat pump (or £5,000 towards a biomass boiler) in England and Wales. See our boiler and heating grants page for how it works.
If you rent
Landlords must keep the heating and hot water in working order — that duty comes from the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and can’t be signed away. A home left without heating can be a serious hazard, so report problems in writing and see our housing disrepair guidance if they’re ignored.
What to do next
Service your boiler yearly, use a registered installer, and explore grants for a low-carbon upgrade. If an installer has done poor work, our Legal claims pages explain how to put it right.
Sources
Consumer Rights Act 2015 (services); GOV.UK (Boiler Upgrade Scheme); Gas Safe Register; Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, s.11. Reviewed: 3 September 2026.
