These days, manufacturers provide great warranties on their boiler products and these range from 3 – 10 years depending on the product you buy.
The warranty basically provides a guarantee that the boiler will function as described and if it does fail, the repair of the boiler will be covered*[1] (This is where you need to understand the warranty small print).
So what invalidates my boiler warranty?
If your boiler is fitted incorrectly and has not been serviced properly, then you probably would invalidate your warranty. However, it’s worth speaking to your manufacturer as they have the discretion to enforce their policy.
You should also ensure that your boiler has activated the warranty by registering the installation. Your boiler installer may do this for you, but it’s always best to check.
You can create an account on the manufacturer’s website, and add your boiler part number (MPN) and this will match your registration with the boiler.
The checklist that could invalidate your boiler warranty
- Incorrect installation
- Not had a boiler service
- Electrics too close to gas pipes
- Safe access to boiler
- Condensate pipes, not current regulations
- Didn’t register the new boiler with the manufacturer
- No chemical Inhibitor
What if a gas engineer comes out to my property and deems the boiler unfit?
A lot of ownness would be on the installer, ideally, the boiler will be installed to Gas Safety measures and the manufacturers’ guidelines.
This means if you have a complaint, you need to be careful about what is recommended by GasSafe, building regulations and the manufacturer.
For example, Worcester Bosch needs a minimum clearance room of 400mm between the boiler and any wall or restriction on the other side. This is not law, so the boiler has not been installed incorrectly, however, it hasn’t been installed to the manufacturer’s guidelines.
Find out more about clearance room for Worcester Bosch
Beware of new regulations
Regulations change all the time and depending on the discretion of your boiler engineer, this may also provide a reason not to repair the boiler.
For example, regulations have changed based on the size of the condensate pipe and your home is now required to have an insulated 32mm pipe. This is only if the condensate pipe runs outside the house.
This was not the case 5 years ago with many homes with regulations not addressing this. The reason for the change was due to extreme cold weather in the UK in 2018, causing a lot of reports of frozen condensate pipes, which is easily fixed and you can find the solution here.
How to fix a frozen condensate pipe.
but it would be a good idea to have this exchanged by your installer to comply to current building regulations.
What if you have a complaint about the boiler warranty?
Consumers rely on both the manufacturer and the installer to advise on best practices when it comes to fitting and servicing and rightly so, they’re the experts.
If the boiler stops working, it’s important to contact the correct person. If your boiler malfunctions as soon as it’s installed, this could be too minor setup problem and the installer can advise if is a fault with the actual boiler.
If you have had a working boiler for some time and its stops working, you should contact the manufacturer, ensuring you have registered the boiler and serviced it regularly.
If you’re unhappy with the response to your complaint, you can contact the ombudsman for further investigation.
https://www.ombudsman-services.org/how-it-works/your-rights
1.By law, the manufacturer would usually need to cover the cost of the part needed. They do, however, include clauses usually stipulated as health & safety when it comes to labour.
