Condemned Boiler - Can It Be Fixed?

If your boiler is condemned, it means that a Gas Safe Registered Engineer has determined that your boiler isn’t safe to use. 

Finding out abruptly that your boiler is unfit for use can be a bit of a shock.

However, you should remember that when a heating engineer classes a boiler as such, they are doing so primarily to keep you and your household safe.

So, what do you do when a boiler is condemned and what are the legal aspects of this?

Let’s explore.

If you're after a quick solution, answer these questions, and you'll get a fixed price to replace the boiler within 24 hours. No multiple visits, no salesmen.

What Makes a Boiler Condemned?

A boiler may be condemned due to insufficient ventilation or even for something as serious as a carbon monoxide leak.

Therefore, condemned boilers are sensibly broken up into categories, based on how much of a danger they pose. 

This is in accordance with the Gas Industry Unsafe Situations Procedure or GIUSP.

But what about those categories we mentioned?

[quotediv]

Immediately Dangerous or ID

This category covers boilers with serious issues.

If your boiler is classed as ‘Immediately Dangerous’, it means that if you continue to use it, it will pose a danger to life. This is as serious as it gets. 

If a boiler is deemed to be ID, the heating engineer will disconnect your boiler straight away. You cannot use it until the fault/issue is addressed at a later point.

As for the legal aspect of this, if you refuse to let an engineer disconnect your boiler, they will (by legal obligation) report your refusal to the Gas Emergency Service Provider or ESP.

The ESP can then enter a property by force and disconnect the boiler.

At Risk or AR

If a boiler is declared ‘At Risk’, it means that a minimum of one issue has been found which could pose a danger to life or the property.

While a lower level of concern than ID, AR boilers must be disconnected, nonetheless.

And, as with an ‘Immediately Dangerous’ boiler, you cannot use an ‘At Risk’ boiler until its issues are fixed.

ESP Visit

Aside from the above categories of a boiler being condemned, another scenario could involve a visit from the ESP.

This happens when the ESP suspects a property is experiencing a gas leak.

What If There’s an Emergency?

This will depend on the nature of the issue. If there is an immediate risk to health and safety (even with the boiler disconnected), this would mean evacuating the property. 

For example, if a carbon monoxide leak is detected, everyone will need to leave the property.

Of course, if this is discovered by a heating engineer, they will contact the relevant authorities.

If not, you will need to contact a heating engineer on their emergency number or contact the relevant authorities in relation to the emergency.

What to Do Next?

Alternatively, if a heating engineer confirms that there is no danger once the boiler stays disconnected, you will need to book a Gas Safe Register engineer to come by and fix it.

This might mean waiting for the ventilation to be fixed. In other cases, you may require an entire boiler replacement. 

We imagine you might ask the heating engineer who is there at that time when they can come by to fix the problem(s) in question.

However, it might be best to analyse the heating engineer’s notes after they’ve left. 

After all, you may need to decide for yourself whether a boiler replacement is the most financially sound option.

Even if it is not strictly speaking necessary to replace your boiler, it could be beyond economic repair.

In other words, if the repairs required would cost hundreds of pounds and if your boiler is particularly old, a replacement might be your best bet.

Once you’ve come to a decision, you should secure several quotes before choosing the right heating engineer.

That is unless you are already happy to stick with the same heating engineer who declared your boiler condemned in the first place (hopefully there are no hard feelings). 

If you decide to replace your boiler, we recommend purchasing a modern A-rated boiler with a solid warranty.

Whether a combi, heat-only, or system boiler will best suit your property would depend on your needs.

So, if this is the case, do spend a good bit of time doing your research before finding the right boiler and brand for you.

PS if you smell gas from your boiler this is an emergency and you should call the Emergency Gas number (0800 111 999) immediately.

But What If I Can’t Afford a New Boiler?

The good news is that it’s possible to purchase a boiler on finance (i.e., buy now and pay later).

Read our complete guide on paying for a new boiler to see all of the available options. 

So, if your boiler is condemned and either must be replaced or is BER, you could avail of this option and pay for the labour and supply costs of a boiler instalment over a several-year period.

However, it’s sometimes possible to make your repayments over longer periods, such as five years or even ten years.

These deals may or may not come with an interest rate. If interest does apply, it will likely be around 10%. With Heatable, it’s possible to benefit from a boiler on finance with zero interest.

Moreover, no deposit is required, and, in most cases, you can make your repayments over twenty-four months, while most providers offer twelve-month deals!

But what if you have bad credit or even no credit history?

Thankfully, this isn’t always a hindrance. While, yes, most buy now, pay later boiler deals to require a credit check, bad credit won’t automatically disqualify you.

Basically, if you have had no IVAs or CCJs in the past five years or so, you’re still probably eligible for a boiler on finance.

An average boiler installation (cost of labour and standalone price of the boiler) is likely to cost somewhere in the range of £800 to £2,800.

So, taking that into account and depending on other factors like your interest rate and repayment time frame, you’d probably face monthly repayments anywhere in the region of £10 to £90. 

Yes, that is quite a range, but the three key price factors involved can make a big difference.

And, as you’ll see below, no single factor can tell you how cheap or expensive a boiler repayment plan will be.

Here are some examples of boiler on finance repayments:

Prevention is Better Than the Cure

Once your boiler has been fixed or replaced, there are many steps you can take to prevent a condemned boiler in the future.

These preventions include:

• Ensuring your boiler is fitted by a professional
  Not only is it legally necessary to have the right professional install your boiler but it is both safer and smarter. Having an unqualified individual install a boiler puts you and your household in danger. Moreover, when a Gas Safe Register engineer installs a gas boiler or an OFTEC engineer fits an oil boiler, you can expect a high-quality installation that is built to last
  
  

• Annual Boiler Service
  A yearly boiler service is important for a number of reasons, not least because it can help maximize your boiler’s life expectancy. When an engineer services a boiler, it gives them the opportunity to spot issues or defects well before they become a bigger problem. In some cases, components will also be given a clean, if necessary. All in all, annual boiler services can catch issues early and keep your boiler up to scratch, increasing the likelihood that your boiler will stay in good health for longer
  
  

• Replacing an old boiler
  As mentioned earlier, if you have an old and inefficient boiler, it may be best to replace it rather than repairing it. Not only could this save you money in the long run (or in the short- to medium-term too, if you purchase a boiler on finance), but it will reduce the risk of your boiler becoming condemned again in the future for a reason other than the one given for its initial condemnation. A young, modern boiler is simply less likely to run into issues (including over the course of their lifetime) than their older and outdated counterparts

Looking for a great deal on a new boiler?

If so, get your new boiler replacement installed with Heatable. Here’s why: 

• Gas Safe installation within 24 hours.

• Thousands of happy customers – an average score of 4.9 on Trustpilot (that’s better than the market leader).

• Price match guarantee – if you find a cheaper quote, we will match (must be like for like).

• Multiple payment options - interest-free available.

• 10-year guarantee.

• Fixed price guarantee – no hidden costs.

• Save your quote until later.

• Use this clickable form to get a fixed price on the screen instantly.

Heat happy.