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A third of UK households blame cost for skipping annual boiler servicing

Alicia Hempsted
Written by  Alicia Hempsted
Kara Gammell
Reviewed by  Kara Gammell
5 min read
Updated: 21 Jan 2025

UK households forgoing regular boiler servicing in a bid to save money are at risk of expensive repair costs and energy bills down the line.

According to research by MoneySuperMarket energy survey, a fifth of households (22%)* are not getting an annual boiler service.

Among those households that don’t service their boiler annually, a third (31.4%) said that cost was the main reason for it.

How often do you have your boiler serviced?

Every year

55.1%

Every other year

9.2%

Every 3-4 years

5.5%

Every 5 years

2.2%

It has never been serviced

5.8%

Not Applicable: I don't have a boiler

7.6%

Not sure

14.7%

The price of energy has been a real topic of discussion this winter, with many households cutting back to save money.

And it’s not just luxuries that are being rationed but essentials too, with 21.5% of UK households revealing that they are cutting back on the amount of laundry they’re doing to save money.

So, it’s no wonder so many households are preferring to hold onto their cash and forgo a boiler service to cut back on costs, but skipping a boiler service is far from the best way to save money.

Having your boiler regularly serviced is the best way to prevent boiler breakdowns and keep it working for longer. Getting your boiler regularly serviced can also improve its efficiency, ensuring that energy isn’t wasted.

The average cost of a one-off boiler service is around £100, although prices can go up or down depending on your boiler type, the model and age.

In comparison, the cost of fixing a boiler can cost anywhere from £100 to £300 depending on the problem, not including emergency call-out charges, and if your boiler is broken beyond repair, you can expect to pay much more

According to Checkatrade, the average cost of a new boiler is around £1,500, although the cost of installation can add another £1,000 to your bill.

With this in mind, £100 a year to keep your boiler in shape can be far less expensive than fixing a broken one.

But benefits aside, not servicing your boiler can also put you at risk of invalidating your insurance. If you own home insurance or boiler cover and experience a boiler breakdown, a skipped service could mean that insurers will reject your insurance claim.

MoneySuperMarket's personal finance expert, Kara Gammell, says:

Kara Gammell
Kara Gammell
Personal Finance Expert

Cutting back on boiler servicing to save money is a false economy

There are many reasons why neglecting your annual boiler service is a bad idea. A boiler service can detect and prevent serious and potentially dangerous problems like Carbon Monoxide leaks, and a manufacturer warranty will only cover you if your boiler is serviced annually by a qualified professional.

Unserviced boilers also tend to be less efficient, pushing up energy bills at a time where, for most households, every penny counts.

To cover the cost of a boiler repair, 14% of our survey respondents said they would claim on their boiler insurance if their boiler broke down, but this insurance is unlikely to pay out if you’re not getting your boiler regularly serviced.

Insurance policies will almost always have terms that require you to take the necessary steps to carry out regular maintenance for you home and boiler, which includes annual servicing by a gas safe engineer.

If you're concerned about your spending this winter, there are other ways to save money rather than cutting back on necessary expenses. One place you can start is to check out our energy saving tips for ways to reduce your energy bills or take a look at your insurance and see if there is money to save by switching.


*Survey research was carried out by MoneySuperMarket on 10th December 2024 with 2,000 adults across the UK in a nationally representative survey.