Boiler breakdown disaster

NIKKID

I'm panic stricken!  I had my boiler serviced this morning (or was supposed to ) and have ended up with a capped off boiler so no hot water or heating and a potential £2k bill to replace it.  Needless to say I trust my heating engineer when he says it's karked it.  I work part time, get tax credits and I am a carer for my mum who has Alzheimers (fortunately she lives in her own place so won't be directly affected). 


What on earth am I to do? I just don't have that kind of money in hand.  I have 3 years left on my mortgage and I wondered if I could get some sort of home improvement loan.  I have been in touch with our council to see if there are any grants available and I'm waiting for a call back. 


I'd be grateful for any advice you can give me 

cajef

Was the boiler working before the service if so what is the reason for it being condemned, why can't it be repaired?

[Deleted User]

Have a read;

https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/boilers/article/buying-a-new-boiler/boiler-grants-can-i-get-a-!!!!!!-a1OOC7R27kYS

NIKKID

cajef said:

Was the boiler working before the service if so what is the reason for it being condemned, why can't it be repaired?

It was working, just not efficiently, so I had them in to do a service.  Seals are rotten and various other parts have failed.  It is over 15 years old (not sure how old because it was already fitted and clearly not new. ) 

cajef

venison said:

Have a read;

https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/boilers/article/buying-a-new-boiler/boiler-grants-can-i-get-a-!!!!!!-a1OOC7R27kYS

Can't get your link to work,

Nearlyold

There's info on this site:-
Government grants for home & energy (including boilers and insulation) - MSE (moneysavingexpert.com)

macman

Make and model? Many boilers still have spares available at 15 years of age. 'Parts' can't have failed if it was working when he came to do the service. He has done the right thing to cap it if dangerous, but that doesn't mean that it can't be repaired.

There's a difference between 'not repairable' and 'not economically repairable'.

[Deleted User]

Get a second opinion. A different gas safety engineer might be able to repair it economically rather than suggesting you get a whole new boiler installed. 

[Deleted User]

My link was to a which article about boiler grants not sure why it wont work

macman

Was it BG who condemned it by any chance?

NIKKID

macman said:

Was it BG who condemned it by any chance?

Nope.  It was a local engineer who has nursed it along for years.  He thought it might be 20 years old.