25 January 2017
Specialist insurer Direct Line for Business is warning agents and landlords that while winter has so far been relatively mild, February - which starts next week - is historically the peak month for boiler problems.
It says boiler repair claims are typically up 163 per cent in February compared to the monthly average. Last winter the insurer saw a 27 per cent increase in claims on broken-down boilers overall compared to the previous year.
With the average malfunctioning boiler costing almost £1,200 to fix, the firm says agents and landlords should not be complacent.
"[Agents and] landlords should make sure their properties have fully serviced boilers to help ensure their tenants don”t have heating issues. Landlords are legally responsible for securing a safety certificate for gas appliances each year and they also need to ensure the heating and hot water systems are maintained and functioning properly."
