How to Book a Boiler Service: What to Have Ready Before You Call

To book a boiler service, have four things ready: the boiler's make and model, its rough age, where it is fitted in the property, and the date of your last service. Then book a Gas Safe registered engineer for a date close to the anniversary of your last service, ideally before the heating season starts. With those details a company can give you an accurate quote and send an engineer who knows what to expect, which is the difference between a smooth visit and a wasted one.

Find the Make, Model and Age

The make and model are printed on the front of the boiler or on a data plate behind the lower cover. The age can usually be worked out from the installation paperwork or the first service record.

These details matter because boilers differ in how long they take to service and which parts they use. A combi, a system boiler and a regular boiler with a cylinder and loft tanks are not the same job, as our guide to servicing differences between boiler types explains. A photo of the front of the boiler and the data label is often the quickest way to pass everything on. If the label has worn off, the manual or the Benchmark checklist left by the installer usually records the model and the installation date.

Check When It Was Last Serviced

Look for your last service record before you book. Its date sets your deadline if the boiler is under a manufacturer's warranty, because most warranties depend on an unbroken record of annual servicing.

Book for a date close to the anniversary rather than months after it. If you cannot find any record, or you have just moved in, say so when you book; the engineer then knows the boiler may need more cleaning than usual. Our guide to how annual servicing protects your boiler warranty covers the rules manufacturers usually set.

Describe Where the Boiler Is and How to Reach It

Tell the company where the boiler is fitted and how easy it is to reach. A kitchen cupboard is straightforward; a loft with a narrow hatch, an airing cupboard full of shelves or a boiler behind fitted units adds time.

Mention anything about getting into the property too: parking restrictions, a concierge or building manager in a block of flats, a gas meter in a locked cupboard, or a flue terminal that can only be seen from a balcony or a neighbour's garden. In London these details often decide how long the visit takes and what it costs. If the boiler is in a rented flat, agree the date with the tenant or landlord before you confirm it, so the engineer is not turned away at the door.

Decide What You Are Booking

Be clear whether you want an annual service on its own, a service combined with a landlord gas safety certificate, or a service plan. They are different jobs with different outcomes, and booking the wrong one is the most common source of confusion on the day.

• Annual service only: right for most owner-occupiers. The engineer inspects, cleans and tests the boiler and gives you a written record. See the annual boiler service page for what is included.
• Service plus gas safety certificate: right for landlords. The certificate covers every gas appliance the tenancy includes, not just the boiler, so list them all when you book.
• Service plan: worth considering if you want the annual visit arranged each year and the cost spread out. Compare what is included before signing.

A service is the wrong thing to book if the boiler has stopped working. A breakdown needs a repair visit, and saying so when you call gets the right engineer and the right parts sent.

Choose the Right Time of Year

Late spring and summer are the easiest times to book a routine service, because demand is lower and the heating is not needed while it is off. The first cold weeks of autumn are the busiest, when boilers that have sat idle all summer start showing faults.

Booking before the heating season also means any worn part the engineer finds can be replaced before you rely on the boiler. It also gives you time to arrange a second visit if a part has to be ordered, without going cold while you wait. Pick a time slot that avoids your household's usual morning routine, since the hot water and heating are off for part of the visit.

Questions to Ask When You Book

A few quick questions when you book tell you whether you are getting a full service and a fair price.

• Is the engineer Gas Safe registered, and will they show their ID card on arrival?
• What does the service include? A proper one covers an internal inspection and clean, a combustion analysis, a flue check and a test of the safety devices.
• Will I get a written service record at the end of the visit?
• Is the price quoted for my make and model, and what happens if a part is needed?

On the day, clear the area around the boiler and have the last service record to hand; make sure someone over 18 is home to let the engineer in and hear what was found. When you are ready, send us your boiler details and postcode and we will come back with a quote before anything is booked.