Landlord Boiler Cover 2026: Prices, What It Includes and Whether It Pays
Landlord boiler cover costs £60 to £180 a year in 2026, depending on whether you insure the boiler alone, the boiler and controls, the whole heating system or every home emergency. Landlord versions include or bolt on the annual gas safety check (the CP12) and let the tenant call the engineer directly. No law requires cover, but you must keep the heating working and have every gas appliance checked every 12 months. This guide gives prices by cover level, the exclusions, pay-as-you-go costs by boiler age, and a decision table showing whether cover pays.
In this guide
What landlord boiler cover is Landlord boiler cover prices by level Excess, limits and exclusions The pay-as-you-go alternative When cover pays and when it does not Decision table by boiler age What the law actually requires Tax: is boiler cover deductible How to claim and response times Frequently asked questions SourcesWhat landlord boiler cover is
Boiler cover sends a Gas Safe registered engineer when the boiler fails and pays for parts and labour, usually with an annual service included. Landlord boiler cover, also sold as landlord boiler insurance, is the same product adapted for a property you do not live in. Three things set it apart:
- The gas safety check. Landlord policies include the annual CP12, or add it for £20 to £40, so the check the law requires every 12 months happens at the service visit. Homeowner policies have no CP12.
- Tenant contact. The tenant rings the claims line and arranges access; the landlord is notified.
- Scope. Home emergency insurance, alone or as an add-on to landlord insurance, covers pipes, drains and fuse boards as well as the boiler, but usually only to make the property safe, with a £500 to £1,000 limit and no servicing.
Most policies are insurance regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, so the price carries Insurance Premium Tax at 12 percent and disputes can go to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Landlord boiler cover prices by level
Prices depend on the cover level, the excess and the boiler's age, not the size of the property. The ranges are from September 2026 quotes for a gas boiler under 10 years old in England with a £60 excess, paid annually; monthly payment adds 5 to 10 percent. The boiler cover comparer nets the cover against what you would spend anyway on the service and CP12.
| Cover level | What it includes | Typical claim limit | Price per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiler only | Boiler and flue, parts, labour, annual service | £1,000 to £1,500 per claim | £60 to £100 |
| Boiler and controls | Adds thermostat, programmer and wiring | £1,000 to £1,500 per claim | £80 to £130 |
| Boiler plus central heating | Adds radiators, valves, pump, pipework, cylinder | £1,500 per claim to unlimited | £110 to £160 |
| Full home emergency | Adds plumbing, drains, electrics, locks and pests | £1,000 to £1,500 per claim, capped callouts | £140 to £180 |
| CP12 where not included | Gas safety check on the same visit | £20 to £40 added |
September 2026 landlord policy quotes, gas boiler under 10 years old, £60 excess, paid annually, Insurance Premium Tax included. Oil and LPG boilers cost 20 to 40 percent more.
A boiler over 10 years old adds 15 to 30 percent where accepted at all; a nil excess adds £30 to £60 a year. A £99 excess, or several properties on one policy, takes 10 to 20 percent off. A boiler under warranty is priced like any other, which is why cover is poor value then (see when cover pays).
Excess, limits and exclusions
The excess is usually £0, £50, £60, £75 or £99. With a typical repair at £150 to £350, a £99 excess still leaves the policy paying most of the bill while cutting the premium by around a quarter. The exclusions matter more than the price:
- Pre-existing faults. Excluded, and most insurers inspect within 30 to 60 days to prove the boiler was working.
- The first 30 days. Almost every policy has an initial exclusion period of 14 to 30 days.
- Boiler age. Over 15 years is excluded by most providers; some stop at 10 or 12.
- Sludge, scale and corrosion. Excluded, and a £300 to £500 power flush is sometimes demanded to keep cover.
- Beyond economic repair. The obligation ends; some pay £200 to £500 towards a replacement if the boiler is under 7 years old, most pay nothing.
- Caps. Cheaper policies cap payouts at £1,000 to £1,500 a year and callouts at two or three, and exclude output above 60 to 70 kW.
The pay-as-you-go alternative
A landlord without cover still pays for the CP12 every 12 months and an annual service, then for repairs as they happen. September 2026 costs; the CP12 and service figures match the gas safety certificate guide and the certificate cost calculator.
| Item | How often | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Landlord gas safety check (CP12) | Every 12 months, required by law | £60 to £130 |
| Annual boiler service | Yearly, keeps the warranty | £70 to £100 standalone, £45 to £80 with the CP12 |
| Callout and diagnosis | Per breakdown | £80 to £120 |
| Typical repair with parts | Per breakdown | £150 to £350 |
| Replacement combi boiler, fitted | Every 12 to 15 years | £1,800 to £3,000 |
Includes VAT, September 2026, outside London; add 20 to 30 percent in London.
Breakdown risk depends mostly on age. The table is our estimate from published claim rates and engineers' experience, not a guarantee; expected repair cost is the probability multiplied by a £250 midpoint repair, the amount to budget each year on top of the service and CP12.
| Boiler age | Chance of a breakdown in the year | Expected repair cost per year | Cover available |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 2 years | 3 to 5% | £8 to £13 | Yes, but the warranty covers it |
| 3 to 5 years | 6 to 10% | £15 to £25 | Yes, standard price |
| 6 to 10 years | 12 to 18% | £30 to £45 | Yes, standard price |
| 11 to 15 years | 20 to 30% | £50 to £75 | Most providers, 15 to 30 percent loading |
| Over 15 years | 30 to 40% | £75 to £100 | Few providers, lower limits |
Landlord Planner estimate, September 2026; see the methodology.
When cover pays and when it does not
Boiler-only cover at £60 to £100 usually includes the service, so it replaces a £70 to £100 service and buys the repairs on top. For a boiler between 6 and 15 years old the expected repairs are £30 to £75 a year, so the money is close to even and the cover is really buying the response.
Cover tends to pay when:
- The boiler is 6 to 15 years old and inside the provider's age limit.
- You are a remote landlord. More than an hour away, the tenant line and engineer network are worth more than the repair money, and a missed call about no heating is how disrepair complaints under the Renters' Rights Act start.
- The property is an HMO. One boiler serves several households and licence conditions usually require prompt repairs; check the output limit and see the HMO licence cost guide.
Cover tends not to pay when:
- The boiler is under manufacturer warranty, typically 5 to 10 years of parts and labour if registered and serviced annually.
- You are local with a trusted engineer who answers the phone.
- The boiler is over 15 years old. Put the premium into a replacement fund and time the new boiler with the EPC C works due by 1 October 2030; the EPC C by 2030 planner shows where it fits under the £10,000 cap.
Decision table by boiler age
The tables above as a recommendation, assuming an annual service either way and a landlord who is not on the doorstep. The boiler cover comparer runs it for your own figures; the result belongs in the running-cost line of the rental yield calculator.
| Boiler age | Pay-as-you-go budget per year | Boiler-only cover per year | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 2 years, under warranty | £70 to £100, warranty pays repairs | £60 to £100 | Skip cover. Service annually to keep the warranty. |
| 3 to 5 years, warranty ending | £85 to £125 | £60 to £100 | Marginal. Cover only if remote or out of warranty. |
| 6 to 10 years | £100 to £145 | £60 to £100 | Cover usually pays, especially if remote or an HMO. Take a £60 to £99 excess. |
| 11 to 15 years | £120 to £175 | £70 to £130 with age loading | Cover pays if a provider accepts the boiler. Check the age limit and the beyond-economic-repair clause. |
| Over 15 years | £145 to £200 plus a replacement fund | Rarely offered | Self-insure. Put £150 to £250 a year aside and replace before 2030. |
Standalone service (£70 to £100) plus expected repairs from the breakdown table; both routes also pay for the CP12 unless the policy includes it. September 2026.
What the law actually requires
Boiler cover is not a legal requirement: the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 and the GOV.UK list of landlord safety responsibilities require checks, maintenance and records, and say nothing about insurance. What they do require:
- Annual safety check. Regulation 36: every gas appliance and flue you supply checked within 12 months of installation and at intervals of not more than 12 months, by a Gas Safe registered engineer. The HSE allows the check up to 2 months early while keeping the anniversary date.
- Records. A copy to existing tenants within 28 days and to new tenants before they move in; keep each record until two further checks of that appliance have been done, which in practice means at least two years.
- Maintenance. Regulation 36(2): appliances and flues maintained in a safe condition, the legal basis for the annual service.
- Repair. Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 implies a duty to keep the installations for space heating and heating water in repair and proper working order, with or without cover.
Gas safety offences are criminal offences under section 33 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974: an unlimited fine and imprisonment up to the magistrates' court general limit, or up to two years in prison and an unlimited fine in the Crown Court. Since the Renters' Rights Act tenancy reforms commenced on 1 May 2026, councils can also impose civil penalties of up to £7,000 for a first breach of the new duties and up to £40,000 for serious or repeat breaches, and the landlord database opening on 15 December 2026 will hold the gas safety record alongside the EICR. Put the CP12 anniversary in the compliance calendar.
Tax: is boiler cover deductible
Yes, for a property you let. GOV.UK's list of allowable expenses includes buildings and contents insurance and maintenance and repairs, and HMRC's Property Income Manual applies the wholly and exclusively test. Boiler cover on a rental meets it, so the £60 to £180 premium comes off rental profit before tax. If you claim the £1,000 property allowance instead you cannot deduct it as well, and a policy covering your own home too must be apportioned. If your gross property and sole trade income was over £50,000 in 2024 to 2025 you have been sending quarterly updates under Making Tax Digital since 6 April 2026; the threshold falls to £30,000 from 6 April 2027 and £20,000 from 6 April 2028. See the Making Tax Digital guide or the MTD checker.
How to claim and response times
Landlord policies let the tenant start the claim:
- Safety first. A gas smell or a carbon monoxide alarm means the gas emergency service first; the claim comes afterwards.
- Call the claims line, usually 24 hours a day. The tenant gives the policy number and the fault; the landlord is told a claim is open. Some policies need the landlord to authorise work above £250 to £500.
- Engineer visit. For no heating or hot water, providers aim for an engineer within 24 hours, same day if called before a morning cut-off; non-urgent faults are booked within 3 to 5 working days. These are targets, not guarantees, and a cold snap stretches them.
- Parts not in the van add 1 to 3 working days.
- The excess is taken by card when the claim opens; keep the policy in your name with the tenant as contact so they are not asked to pay it.
Note the date the tenant reported the fault, because it starts the clock under section 11. If a claim is refused, complain in writing; a regulated firm must give a final response within 8 weeks, after which you have 6 months to go to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Either way, boiler costs are one of the larger lines in the cost of running a rental property.
Frequently asked questions
How much does landlord boiler cover cost in 2026?
£60 to £100 a year for boiler-only cover with a £60 excess, £80 to £130 for boiler and controls, £110 to £160 for boiler plus central heating and £140 to £180 for full home emergency cover, plus 15 to 30 percent for a boiler over 10 years old.
Is boiler cover a legal requirement for landlords?
No. The law requires an annual gas safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer, a copy of the record to tenants within 28 days, and the heating kept in proper working order under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985.
What is the difference between landlord boiler cover and home emergency insurance?
Home emergency insurance covers boiler, plumbing, drains, electrics and locks but usually only to make the property safe, with limits of £500 to £1,000 and no service. Landlord boiler cover repairs the boiler properly, includes a service and the CP12, and gives the tenant a claims line.
Does boiler cover for a rental property include the gas safety certificate?
Most landlord policies include the CP12 at the service visit, or add it for £20 to £40 a year. A homeowner policy never includes it, leaving you to pay £60 to £130 for a separate check every 12 months.
Is landlord boiler insurance tax deductible?
Yes. Insurance and maintenance and repairs are allowable expenses against rental income under HMRC's wholly and exclusively rule, so a £60 to £180 premium reduces taxable rental profit, unless you claim the £1,000 property allowance instead.
Will boiler cover accept a boiler over 15 years old?
Rarely. Most providers stop at 15 years and some at 10 or 12. The few that accept older boilers charge 15 to 30 percent more with lower limits, so it is usually better to save £150 to £250 a year towards a £1,800 to £3,000 replacement.
Sources
Regulation 36 of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998; HSE guidance on gas safety check records; GOV.UK on a landlord's safety responsibilities; section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985; GOV.UK on paying tax when you rent out a property; HMRC Property Income Manual PIM2010; GOV.UK on Insurance Premium Tax; FCA guidance on complaining to a financial firm; landlord boiler cover policy schedules and online quotes, September 2026. See the methodology.