Boiler Replacement on low income

sgreen1979

Hi everyone,

I would like some advice. I have a an old boiler a Potterton Performa 28, it's 19 years old, it's broken, I have no hot water and virtually no heating, I've tried to have it repaired but the last engineer said repair impossible due to cannot get parts and even if so it would be beyond economical repair and said I need to get it replaced.

I have no spare income, I'm in an IVA, I receive pip for daily living and mobility, and in the process of having to go from full time to part time due to my disability so will very soon be recieving universal credit and likely LCWRA as well.

I paid for an EPC assessment, thinking of if I got a D rating or less I could qualify for the eco4 replacement grant, but that has come back as a C somehow, I have windows that don't close properly and very draughty, an old broken boiler which even when was working was very inefficient.

So I really don't know what to do. I can't get finance for a new one due to the IVA, don't qualify for any grants as far as I can tell.

I'm gonna freeze again this winter. Any help or suggestions would be really appreciated.

Sorry for waffling on, but I'm at my wits end with it all.

Many thanks

Stu

Eldi_Dos

You could look into Boiler Renting/subscribtion schemes, I have seen some of them that offer a no credit check as part of their deal.
It would be a long commitment you would be taking on, they are not the cheapest in the long run compared to other ways of financing a new boiler but might be worth you looking at them.

There is a Benifits board on here where you will get advice on your situation I would say best to do that before making any commitment.

Xbigman

Do you know which part is broken. If you can find out, try using google to see if any second hand parts are available. Then get it fitted. There is no guarantee with second hand parts but it might bring your boiler back to life for another year or two.


Darren

tacpot12

If you can find out from the engineer what parts are needed, and source these yourself, this would avoid the need to replace the boiler. eBay can be a very good source of parts. There are lots of parts for the Perfoma 28 on there. Lots of engineers won't supply second-hand parts, because they don't want the hassle if the part doesn't work or goes wrong soon after it is installed, but if you supply the parts, they know don't won't this issue.I would also suggest looking for complete boilers on eBay. You might find an old Potterton Perform 28 that someone has had replaced for reasons of efficiency that was still working when it was removed. If you do buy a complete boiler, check to see that it was working when it was uninstalled, and check that it was uninstalled very recently. Something that has been sat around at the back of a store room for years is unlikely to be troublee free. Something removed in the last month should still work fine.   

If you can't get the parts, I would recommend speaking to your IVA provider. You need to be able to buy a new boiler either outright or on credit. If they won't help, speak to your local Ciitzens Advice.  

stripling

@sgreen1979
I have no spare income, I'm in an IVA, I receive pip for daily living and mobility, and in the process of having to go from full time to part time due to my disability so will very soon be recieving universal credit and likely LCWRA as well.

There are regional Community Interest Companies that offer very low-interest loans to low income home owners for essential household repairs. They will judge your credit worthiness differently to a mainstream lender. They work in partnership with the local authorities. 

The local authority has to approve the work needed but the CIC will help you do all the paperwork. Lendology is one of these organisations as an example but it may be called something different in your area. 

Do NOT take a loan from any organisation that is not a CIC by mistake - check with your local authority or Citizen's Advice if you are not sure who to contact. They will sign post you in the right direction. 

Vitor

Some things you can try:

Council “affordable warmth / energy efficiency” team – most councils have discretionary ECO4 “flex” powers where they can approve support even if the EPC isn’t low enough, especially for people who are vulnerable or disabled. Phone the housing/energy team and explain your situation (PIP, IVA, LCWRA etc).

Energy supplier hardship funds – British Gas Energy Trust, E.ON Energy Fund, and a few others will sometimes cover the cost of a boiler replacement or at least provide heating help. 

Turn2Us – they have a grant search tool for charities that help with emergencies: https://grants-search.turn2us.org.uk/

Short-term heating – councils and charities can sometimes supply portable oil-filled radiators or similar to stop you freezing while you fight the boiler battle. Worth asking the council or even your local Citizens Advice.

EPC challenge – EPC ratings can vary a lot depending on assessor. If you can, see if you can get it looked at again, because a D instead of a C would open the ECO4 door.

lohr500

Vitor said:

Short-term heating – councils and charities can sometimes supply portable oil-filled radiators or similar to stop you freezing while you fight the boiler battle. Worth asking the council or even your local Citizens Advice.

A possible option, but be very careful using plug-in heaters for any length of time. The cost of running them is eye watering and probably the most expensive form of heating you will find, other than burning £10 notes in a dog grate.

As the temperatures start to drop, another option is a plug-in wrap which costs pennies to run. They aren't expensive to buy. Aldi & Lidl sell them, usually as winter approaches. Not good on a long term basis if the rest of the house is cold as problems with damp can set in.