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.