Landlord’s Heating, Plumbing and Electrics Plus

Frequently asked questions

• Am I eligible for this insurance?

  • This insurance is only for landlords.

    It doesn’t include protection for flats, apartments, mobile homes or park homes. Business premises and council and housing association properties cannot be covered.

    The boiler(s) at your property must have a power input of less than 70 KW and be fired by natural gas (not LPG, electricity or oil), and gas supply pipes must be 35 mm or less in diameter.

  • This insurance is only for landlords.

    It doesn’t include protection for houses, bungalows, mobile homes or park homes. Business premises and council and housing association properties cannot be covered.

    The boiler(s) at your property must have a power input of less than 70 KW and be fired by natural gas (not LPG, electricity or oil), and gas supply pipes must be 35 mm or less in diameter.

• What information will I need to buy this insurance?

  • To make buying your policy as simple as possible, please make sure you have the following information to hand:

    • Details of the house, bungalow or flat you want to cover
    • Details of how it is heated (for example, the make of your boiler)
    • A valid email address
    • The bank details of whoever will pay for the insurance.

• What happens if I change my mind?

  • If you wish to cancel your policy, you can do so at any time by contacting us.

    If this is within the 28 day cancellation period and you haven’t made a claim, you will receive a full refund. If you have made a claim, you’ll receive a refund minus the number of days you had cover.

    If it’s after the 28 days and you have made a claim, you will need to pay any remaining payments for the full term of the policy. If you haven’t made a claim, you’ll receive a refund minus the number of days you had cover.

    See the terms and conditions of your policy for more information on cancellation.

• What if I need to make a claim before my Boiler Health Check has been completed?

  • Whilst you can make a boiler claim before the check has been done, please note that we’ll complete the health check first and it must pass for us to be able to progress with your claim.

    To find out more about how to book your appointment, as well as what happens during and after the check, take a look at our frequently asked questions.

• When and how will I have to pay my excess?

  • Each separate problem registered will require an excess payment of £60 per claim to be made.

    Unrelated problems which are not associated with each other will require a separate excess payment.

    Where physical investigation work is undertaken and the problem is not resolved, the excess payment will NOT be refunded.

    The excess payment is taken using a credit or debit card. If you book over the phone, your card details must be input using your telephone keypad.

    We only accept payment using the following cards: MasterCard, Visa and Visa Debit.

    It's the landlord’s responsibility to pay the excess, however, if the landlord has given permission to do so, we will accept payment from the tenant in order to allow the claim to proceed.

  Please read the terms and conditions of your policy for full details.

• What is a Boiler Health Check and why do I need it?

  • ​All of our gas products come with a boiler health check, which needs to be booked within 90 days from when your policy starts. During this appointment, our Gas Safe registered engineer will check that your boiler is on our approved list and that there are no pre-existing problems with your boiler or central heating system. If we find that it’s not on our list or discover a fault, we’ll…​

    ​
    • Tell you what needs to be done to fix it and how much it’ll cost.
    • Remove boiler cover from your policy or cancel it completely depending on the level of protection that you hold.​

    If you need to claim for a boiler problem before the check has been done, we’ll carry out the check first and it must pass before we can progress with your claim.​

    To find out more about how to book your appointment, as well as what happens during and after the check, take a look at our frequently asked questions.

    Please note that if your policy includes a boiler service, this will be completed at the same time as your boiler health check, to save you making another appointment.

• Is my boiler service and gas safety inspection part of my insurance cover?

  • No. Your boiler service and gas safety inspection are not elements of your insurance and therefore are not part of the contract of insurance underwritten by the underwriter. Nor are they regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

    This means that if you have any complaint relating to your boiler service or gas safety inspection, you will not have the right to refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

    HomeServe also offers standalone boiler services and gas safety inspections.

• What’s a boiler health check, and why does my boiler need one?

  • Your boiler will be given a health check within the first year you’re covered by HomeServe. This is an initial inspection during which a Gas Safe registered engineer will check your boiler to ensure it is safe and can be insured.

    Your boiler must pass this health check before any boiler insurance claims you make can be progressed.

    Your boiler health check must be booked or completed within your first 90 days as a HomeServe customer, and it’s easy to arrange your appointment online.

    Please note that in your first year with HomeServe, your boiler health check, boiler service and gas safety inspection will be carried out during the same appointment even though they are separate inspections. For more information, read our guide to the differences between a boiler health check and a boiler service.

• What if I need a repair that isn’t covered by my insurance?

  • Don’t worry. HomeServe’s one off repairs team can help!

    We offer a range of fixed price services that will help keep your home running smoothly. All our repairs are carried out by HomeServe approved experts. Call our team on 0330 0247 064 to find out more.

    For enquiries, lines are open on weekdays from 8am to 6.30pm and Saturdays from 8am to 4pm. We are closed on Sundays. Calls will cost you no more than the rate of a standard call and charges may vary depending on your network provider. Calls are recorded for quality control and training purposes.

• Are there types of gas heating systems this insurance won’t cover?

  • Yes. Landlords whose tenanted properties are heated by dual-purpose boilers, a warm air heating system, combination cylinders or thermal storage units are not eligible to buy this policy.

• What if I suspect I have a gas leak?

  • If you think you have a gas leak, call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately on 0800 111 999.

• Won’t my local water company help if there’s a problem with my supply pipe?

  • Your local water company may provide assistance if your external underground water supply pipe is leaking. Please contact them directly for details.

• Will my local authority help me with pest control?

  • Your local authority may provide a pest control service to its residents. Please contact them directly for details.

• What happens if my boiler is beyond repair?

  • In your first year of cover, after 6 months of cover:

    • If the boiler is less than 7 years old, we will arrange a replacement and cover the installation costs.
    • If the boiler is more than 7 years old, we will arrange a replacement, but you will be required to pay for the installation costs (including parts, labour and VAT).

• What happens after I’ve had my cover for a year?

  • Your cover is set up so that it will automatically renew every year. This is to make the process of renewing easier and ensure your tenanted property has continuous cover. We’ll send you a reminder about 4 weeks before your cover is due to renew. This will confirm the price of your cover for the next year and prompt you to check that it still meets your needs.

    The price of your cover will increase at renewal. Customers about to renew their cover for a second year can expect to pay £61.87£59.95 a month* (£742.44£719.40 for the year), provided they have made no claims. This price includes the cost of your Boiler Service and Gas Safety Certificate.

    If you’d rather your cover didn’t automatically renew, you can cancel this feature when you apply. Alternatively, you can contact us to switch off automatic renewal at any time afterwards.

    If you decide you don’t want your cover to automatically renew, you’ll need to contact us each year to renew it yourself and organise payment.

• Will I have to pay any extra fees or charges?

  • No. You only have to pay your insurance premium and - in the event you make a claim - your excess.

    Our prices include all fees and Insurance Premium Tax (IPT).

• Who provides this insurance?

  • This policy is sold, arranged and administered by HomeServe and underwritten by Aviva Insurance Limited. Aviva Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

    Aviva Insurance Limited is registered in Scotland as company number 2116. Its registered address is:

    Pitheavlis,
    Perth,
    Scotland
    PH2 0NH.

    HomeServe is an insurance intermediary and arranges and administers cover on behalf of the underwriter. HomeServe is a trading name of HomeServe Membership Limited. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for its general insurance activities.

    Our registered address is:

    Cable Drive,
    Walsall,
    West Midlands,
    WS2 7BN.

    HomeServe Membership Limited is registered in England and Wales company number 2770612. VAT registration number GB 559669669.

    The regulatory status of Aviva Insurance Limited and HomeServe can be checked on the Financial Conduct Authority’s Financial Services Register.

• Where can I find the product documents and terms and conditions that relate to my policy?

  • The full terms and conditions of your policy, plus other important documents about your cover and HomeServe’s services, can be downloaded here.

    • Insurance Product Information Document
    • Terms and Conditions
    • About HomeServe’s services
    • Insurance Product Information Document
    • Terms and Conditions
    • About HomeServe’s services