Gas Boiler Problems?!

donnap83

I don't know whether anyone can help, but here goes!

I rent a house with has a gas boiler (i don't know whether its a combi or something else) We think it's about 11 years old.

Since the end of winter, it seems to 'mis-fire'. We only ever switch the boiler 'on' to heat water to wash up, so every 3 or 4 days. When we do, you hear the boiler clicking, where its trying to light the flame, but then it starts up without the flame being lit. We then get a smell of gas outside.

We've told the ladylady about it, and she's looking to see if she has that boiler cover so we can get someone to look at it.

Anyone know what it might be, or whether its a case of needing a new boiler?

Think the landlady is a bit worried at the prospect of a new boiler being needed.

Thanks!

lynzpower

Did your landlady provide a gas safety certificate in the last 12 months ( they are an annual requirement)

The only person who can tell you whatsm required is the engineer who takes the look but the smell of gas is worrying.

11 years out of a boiler is not that bad, the landlady needs to be saving for these eventualities out of the rent she receives. Its a legitimate business cost and any boiler will go kaput at some point.

donnap83

Well, the thing is, shes actually a friend who let us crash there temp whilst we sorted our own place out. We ended up staying as we enjoyed each others company. She still lives with us. The rent we pay is an equal split of the bills etc, so she doesn't really profit from us being there.

lynzpower

I think we need to establish whether she is a landlord or you are a lodger?

donnap83

lynzpower wrote: »

I think we need to establish whether she is a landlord or you are a lodger?

Good point, I guess we're lodgers?

I just find it easier to refer to her as LL!

Sorry for confusion!

donnap83

She's had a look at replacement boilers and they look to be around £1000ish.

Out of interest, whats the difference between a condenser boiler and a combi boiler?!

lynzpower

Yes if she lives there and owns the property, you are a lodger. Therefore you have no rights at all to the property.

You have little leverage to make her change the boiler, even if this means you have no hot water or no heating.

Owain_Moneysaver

Even if you're a lodger rather than a tenant, your 'landlady' still MUST have a gas safety certificate.

I have a lodger who pays me rent
You are classed as a landlord, so you need to arrange an annual gas safety check.

It sounds like the ignition is failing. If the ignition fails then unburnt gas will be vented through the flue.

lynzpower

Wow thanks Owain my understanding has changed, you learn something new everyday! thanks you!

donnap83

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

Even if you're a lodger rather than a tenant, your 'landlady' still MUST have a gas safety certificate.

I have a lodger who pays me rent
You are classed as a landlord, so you need to arrange an annual gas safety check.

It sounds like the ignition is failing. If the ignition fails then unburnt gas will be vented through the flue.

That sounds exactly like the problem!

Thanks! Will speak to her about the safety check as well. She's not objecting to repairing/replacing the boiler, I just wondered what the options were. She's getting the paper work down from the attic tonight for the boiler, then calling BG to come and see what's up with it.

She's also looked into replacement, and by the looks of it she can get a boiler on HP so at least she can get it replace ASAP if needed.


Could you shed some light on something completely different/

I took out emergency insurance with Homeserve in December for my mums house, covers boiler, heating, electrics etc. I pay £26 a quarter. Since the boiler packed up in our house I looked at HOmeserve again this week and it looks to have rocketed in price, near £60 a quarter! :eek:

I'm defintely still paying £26, but is my payment likely to go up at some point to match what they now charge?! I don't know off the top of my head whether there is a set term, like car insurance.

ziggyman99

Owain is probably correct. When the boiler gets a demand it goes through a sequence. Fan on, prove the fan is working, turn the gas on, try to light, check its lit, if its lit keep gas on if it doesnt light turn gas off, try sequence again. It can do this, depending on the boiler, up to 5 times before it locks out. If the gas doesnt light it will be pushed outside by the fan.
You asked about the difference between a condensing and a combi boiler. Well, you can't really answer that! All modern boilers are condensing. So there are condensing combi boilers. Combi boilers heat the domestic hot water on demand, i.e. you turn on the hot water tap and the boiler fires to make hot water instantly. A heat only boiler makes heats up a hot water cylinder. So your boiler sounds like a heat only boiler.