Gas boiler recommendations from landlords

hostie

Hello,

I have to replace the boiler in one of my flats as it failed the annual gas safety check and it is no longer possible to obtain the seals required to make it safe. I'm a bit disappointed to be replacing something that still works fine, but obviously it isn't safe without the correct seals so it failed and I will replace it.

I just wondered if anyone has any recommendations on the boiler that will cause the least trouble?

I put a new combi boiler in another of my flats about 6 years ago and it has been nothing but trouble. The tenants have had to have a plumber out several times a year due to different issues: condensation, loss of pressure etc etc

I think combi boilers are the only type you can get these days though aren't they?

anselld

hostie wrote: »

I think combi boilers are the only type you can get these days though aren't they?

There are others but you normally don't have room for the storage tank you would need if you don't want Combi.

I would recommend Vaillant Combi.

Pixie5740

I'm a Worcester Bosch gal myself.

justjohn

Worcester ....

whalster

I was at a landlords event last week one of the speakers was a representative from Eon ,they have reintroduced the scheme regarding eco-funding now there is a small contribution of £250 assuming that the tenant is on any qualifying benefits.
I had some done before when it was totally free however I am going to have a couple done this time where my tenants meet this criteria.
The new ideal boilers are great at the minute I paid £875 including VAT and flu kit for an ideal 32 last weekplumber had it in within four hours £1250 in total cost.
I have a good number of these ideal boilers and they have always been great as have Wocester although a lot of these are starting to fail at 10 years the only ones I hate at the Vacara(sp?) these really have been garbage.

tom9980

The ideal logic we had failed in just 4 years and was replaced by a worcester Bosch. Vaillant are also well loved by many installers.

MisterB1959

a lot of boilers come with additional guarantees - up to 7 years!


with regards to boilers you can still get conventional boilers, normally specified as heat only - don't get combi boilers confused with condensing boilers !! most boilers now are condensing

G_M

Depends on size of property etc etc but get 2 or 3 engineers to recommend with quotes (and lngth of warranty). Make sure quotes are like for like (ie powerflush? add rad stats? etc)

Bosch is more expensive/better.

Or see this forum for multiple similar queries/recommendations by engineers......

bris

Worcester are no longer what they used to be since Bosch took them over and a few have now caught up and are much cheaper. Baxi, Ideal and Valiant are now up there with 5 and 7 year guarantees that are easily as good as Worcester.


However LL's like me are now looking at the cheaper end of these manufacturers, that's right you can get the same boilers for less money but made by the same manufacturers.


Main boilers are made by Ideal and have the same parts, but the one that I went for recently was the Heatline caprizplus who was taken over by the Valliant group and are now made with Valliant parts. It comes with a 2 year guarantee, less than their Valliant models but they have to cut costs somewhere to provide the boilers cheaper.


The 24a set me back £469 inc Vat with flue and built in time clock and the 28a is £30 dearer. I did my research before I bought it and so far everything is going well.


But like anything else this one is a tester, any problems and I'm back to the Baxi, Potterton boilers which are a proven brand for me.

hostie

Thanks for all the replies. Some major variation on price (I was quoted 3.5k). I wanted to go with British Gas as I have a 2 home care plans with them and both my boilers failed the first time British Gas came to do a safety certificate.


I did think that it was strange that they both failed (since both have passed for the last six years) and neither have problems. British gas later sent a certificate to say that one of them had passed.

This did make me wonder if it was a little scam way of getting me to buy a new boiler through them, however I did get a second opinion on the one that they didn't pass and was told that the seals are no longer available so it seems to be a genuine safety issue.

The one I am replacing, I don't want to be in the position of getting a normal plumber to install it and then British Gas failing it (saying flues are too small or something). I've decided I want to use the British Gas landlord's home care plan to save on hassle on electrical / tap / boiler repairs, so I think I'm stuck with the British Gas installation.

I'll get back to them and ask for a cheaper boiler. One of the ones you suggest. The prices you have suggested above are nearly half what I was quoted.

Thanks.

katejo

anselld wrote: »

There are others but you normally don't have room for the storage tank you would need if you don't want Combi.

I would recommend Vaillant Combi.

Based on my experience in my current house I support this. Mine is now over 10 years old and is still working with about 96% efficiency (recent service). i had to pay around £300 a year ago for a new motherboard but otherwise has been fine)

I asked the engineer in January roughly how much they would charge for a similar replacement and he said £2000. That is for a small terraced 2/3 bedroom house