Bought a house and the boiler Is broken, what should I do?

How could I help ensure that the boiler in my new home isn’t faulty?

A fault or flaw with your new home’s central heating could leave you cold and out of pocket as a new boiler may be required. To avoid this, we recommend that you consult a Gas Safe registered engineer to conduct a full service of the central heating system in the property. The service will typically involve the engineer conducting a series of checks to confirm that the boiler is able to operate properly and that it is free of any existing or potentially developing faults that could lead to a breakdown and a costly repair^[5].

The second thing that could serve you well to ensure is that your solicitor sends you copies of all forms relating to the state of the central heating in the home, just so you have them on file, you could also check these over yourself for added peace of mind. Also, if the seller claims that the boiler has been serviced recently, you could request that your solicitor asks for a copy of the inspection report.

As quoted by homesandproperty.co.uk (15/10/2018)

“The Law Society Property Information Form which, prior to exchange of contracts, should have been completed by the seller. Your solicitor should have forwarded a copy to you. Section 12.3 of the form relates to central heating and asks the seller to confirm such matters as when the system was installed, last serviced or maintained, and also requests a copy of the inspection report.

The system was supposedly serviced recently, so your solicitor should have requested a copy of the relevant inspection report. If unavailable, further enquiries could have been made regarding the apparent servicing — for example, who carried it out. Indeed, you could have chosen to organise your own boiler inspection prior to exchange of contracts.

Check the information, documentation and advice provided by your solicitor prior to exchange of contracts and revisit any survey you might have had, to see if the boiler condition was mentioned.”

What to do if you’ve already purchased the home

Unfortunately, it may be hard for you to avoid having to pay for any repairs or replacements yourself once you’ve already bought the home. It’s typically the buyer’s responsibility to ensure that the relevant checks and surveys are completed, and to act accordingly depending on the results.

You may be able to make a claim if the seller made any false or misleading statements (preferably in writing) about the functionality of the boiler system, as this could be deemed as a breach of contract although this would be something a solicitor will be required to advise you on.

As previously stated, it’s recommended that you get a property’s boiler system surveyed by a professional before purchasing it — remember, prevention is better than cure! This simple measure could help prevent the stress and upset caused by finding out that the boiler in your new home is broken. Any of our Gas Safe registered engineers could conduct a thorough and professional survey of the boiler system in the property you are considering, simply get in touch to arrange an appointment.