Therefore the boiler scrappage scheme might just have come at the right time.
Unlike my initial fears the scheme hasn't been farmed off to a few large and very expensive providers like British Gas and their corperate cronies. Providing a landlord can get a quote from an approved installer then they can access the scheme. It really does seem that this is a genuine £400 off the price of a boiler. It's suddeness has probably caught boiler companies off guard so they have not been able to inflate prices although I doubt that the demand for A grade boilers will mean that there will be very little discounting available to landlords to drive down prices.
My other concern was not having bought a boiler for a couple of years that A grade boilers would cost an arm and a leg. Not so according to my plumber. It's possible to pick one up for £800. My idea would be see if I can get one for between £700-800. Remember most plumbers often try to 'make' a little on the boiler so sourcing it youslef could save you £100 or so.
So despite my initial sceptisism the boiler scrappage may well be a flyer.
The question is wether there will be sufficient magic vouchers to go around to satisfy demand.
I'm getting my request in early just to make sure.
Free property management software, Free tenancy agreements
All very well buying a new boiler but most of them are crap. Phone British Gas and listen to the message ` British Gas mend a Bioler every 5 seconds` I believe there is not a good one out there. If you look at the cost of the spares. I have been quoted £250 for a circuit board. £45 for a pressure switch, which would have cost less than a fiver for a car. Most of the New boilers will break down in the first year. You will be lucky if it lasts you eight years. I think the £400 scrappage scheme is a good idea. But a better idea would be for the Government to put a British Standard kite Mark on Boilers and to get the kite mark they should be designed to last for 25 years and come with any spares they are likely to use in the first 10 years. (as they do in Germany) I have a Valcan Continental fitted in 1964 never seen an engineer. I have had to change the thermal couple twice less than a fiver each time . Am I tempted to swap it ? No I am not I would advise you to keep the old one going or take a service contract out on the new one, and keep you boiler engineers telephone number very close. The choice is yours.
ReplyDeleteThe flat that I let out has no gas central heating. It has old electric storage heaters. I know that this scheme is for scrapping gas boilers, however, I wonder whether I can apply for this scheme.
ReplyDeleteNo it only relates to gas boilers
ReplyDeleteThe editors comments are my views too. New is not necessarily reliable. My own boiler was about 30 years old and needed very litle upkeep in that time. Only resent failures and lack of any spares ment its final demise. Cost of running per year worked out at less than £10 including initial outlay! I doubt wether any new boiler will come remotely close to that.
ReplyDeleteNice though that this new scheme seems genuine and not controlled by profiteers.
One indication on the impact of the boiler scrappage scheme is the plumber who was returning my texts and calls within 5 minutes before xmas has suddenly gone silent. Maybe theres more money in working for homeowners than providing a quote for a cash strapped landlord.
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