Boiler "At risk"... Can i still rent the house?

geraint85

I bought a house a year an a half ago. I have an energy performace certificate from a few months before perchase stating that the boilers performance was "good" (Ratings can be listed as Very good/Good/Avarage/Poor/Very Poor)..

Due to circumstances, I’m now looking to rent the property. However, the British gas Homecare people had labelled my boiler as “At Risk”..The boiler has not been condemed, and worked fine while I lived there, but would I need to get a new boiler before renting it out?


In the comments section they have written

Home care checklist
“ Boiler replacement advised due to parts availability and system performance. Some parts are no longer in stock and ariston can no longer supply them”

Safety warning/Advice Notice
“Pressure relief pipe runs in plastic and not safely terminated, no firestop plate on flue, clearance around boiler inadequate for servicing/maintenance

nikki1520

I would doubt that you'd be able to get a landlords safety certificate with those advisories, so renting may not be possible until those things have been remedied

geraint85

the only way to remedie those problems are to get a new boiler

19lottie82

try getting an independent company to have a look at it. from what i hear BG are very quick to advise people that they need new boilers, even when they don't.

googler

geraint85 wrote: »

“Pressure relief pipe runs in plastic and not safely terminated, no firestop plate on flue

These are the only parts I would consider 'faults'.

The others, whilst inconvenient, are no comment on the boiler itself. The fact that parts are difficult to come by is irrelevant, as is " clearance around boiler inadequate for servicing/maintenance"

societys_child

Yup, definitely get a second opinion.

geraint85

19lottie82 wrote: »

try getting an independent company to have a look at it. from what i hear BG are very quick to advise people that they need new boilers, even when they don't.

thank you.. I'll get a second opinion with my fingures crossed. It'd be interesting if it passed.

BitterAndTwisted

Of course, the real question is if you are unwilling or unable to have a new boiler installed are you in any position to become a professional landlord with all of the unexpected repairs and maintenance expenses that entails?

It's not a course of action that I'd take lightly

G_M

1) The EPC you have is totally irrelevant (although it is a legal requirement to give your tenant an EPC)

2) It is a legal requirement to get, and give your tenant, a 'landlords Gas Safety Certificate'. This is not the same as an EPC, nor is it the same as a service report. If British Gas (or your chosen GasSafe registered engineer) issue a certificate, you can rent. If they refuse, you can't.

3) there are a whole host of other requirements when you let your property. Read this post here.

geraint85

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Of course, the real question is if you are unwilling or unable to have a new boiler installed are you in any position to become a professional landlord with all of the unexpected repairs and maintenance expenses that entails?

I am able and can afford to install a new boiler. I'm just hoping that this current boiler will be good for a few more years (it's worked fine for me for the past year and a half). I should also be able to afford any unexpected repairs (within a £4k budget at this momnet in time)..

G_M wrote: »

2) It is a legal requirement to get, and give your tenant, a 'landlords Gas Safety Certificate'. This is not the same as an EPC, not is it the same as a service report. If British Gas (or your chosen GasSafe registered engineer) issue a certificate, you can rent. If they refuse, you can't.

I haven't acctually called anyone out for a gas safty certificate in respect to renting a property. I called the British gas man out as I wanted to have boiler insurance. After inspection, he issued me with a safety warning/Advice notice thing with a tic in the box of "At risk", and I was refused the opertunity to take out insurance with them becase the parts were no longer available. I'll follow through with the advice given in above posts, and contact an independant company to have a look.

G_M wrote: »

3) there are a whole host of other requirements when you let your property. Read this post here.

A good bit of reading. lots to learn still

societys_child

I've heard before of BG wrongly claiming the parts were no longer available. See what a local independent has to say.