British Gas Homecare boiler cover review, prices & service costs

British Gas HomeCare is a way of protecting your home’s central heating system from breakdowns and repairs, whilst minimising one-off repair costs.

Having a boiler system to supply your house with hot water as well as central heating is the way to go for over 90% of British households.

And most of them probably never spent a thought on their boiler until it stopped working or became faulty – and this is where British Gas HomeCare comes in.

Getting an annual boiler service is important to keep your boiler running efficiently whilst minimising repair costs, so take a look at these boiler maintenance plans from British Gas.

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What is Boiler Cover, and Why Do I Need it?

Normal home insurance policies will not give you a boiler breakdown cover and leave you with the damages.

Some may offer you this option as an additional cover, however, it may be worthwhile to obtain cover quotes from multiple home companies that give insurance, to avoid unnecessarily high premiums from your home insurance.

Boiler cover protects you from having to pay for boiler repairs or replacement yourself, as well as any other costs (labour and spare parts) incurred if your system breaks or requires repairs.

There are alternatives to British gas home care and Homeserve are available that offer very similar services for less, so it’s always good to compare.

Only as a homeowner or landlord will you be required to take care of your boiler cover if you are a renter.

Annual boiler service

Some levels of boiler cover also include this as well as maintenance visits. You do want to have an annual boiler check-up as it keeps your boiler running smoothly and can detect minor issues before they become major financial problems.

You can get a service plan when you compare boiler quotes with one of our recommended partners.

Boiler cover policy limitations

It is important to thoroughly understand the limitations and exclusions of your boiler coverage. Some policies may cover replacement parts but not a complete boiler replacement, or may have limits on the number of hours of labour covered. Be aware of any limitations on the number of claims you can make in the event of a breakdown.

Additionally, not all companies offer coverage for a full system flush in the event of sludge buildup caused by factors such as water quality or the age of gas supply pipes.

Furthermore, if a specialist determines that your boiler is too old, it may no longer be eligible for coverage and a new boiler would need to be purchased before applying for coverage. Keep in mind that a new boiler can be costly, but there are ways to save money on energy bills that can help offset the cost

Different types of boiler cover

You can receive boiler, drain, and plumbing cover, as well as financial protection when it comes to keeping annoying pests at bay in your home, depending on the price a homeowner, is willing to pay.

In short, having a comprehensive boiler cover policy will save you from having to outsource services such as pest control to reduce pest infections and plumbers to help with plumbing and drains.

However, even a basic boiler cover can save you money to spend on your energy bills and time when looking for boiler specialists in your area when you need them the most.

British Gas HomeCare and HomeServe are the two most popular boiler cover currently available, and their costs and other specifications will be examined below.

Considerations for Boiler Cover

Many boiler companies, such as British Gas and HomeServe, offer basic boiler cover with the option to add additional protections at an extra cost. In addition to annual inspections and boiler coverage, some companies also offer plumbing and drain coverage.

While a comprehensive boiler package may have a higher monthly cost, it can save money in the long run by eliminating the need to hire separate contractors for household services like plumbing and pest control. It is important to check for any limitations on when claims can be made, as some providers may not allow claims within the first 30 days of policy activation.

This can prevent immediate repairs and leave you without heat or hot water for a long time.

Did you know you can compare boiler replacement and cover on sites such as Uswitch?

Why is British Gas HomeCare a good idea?

A lot of UK properties have built-in boilers that are already quite old and potentially on the brink of letting their owners down sometime shortly.

To ensure your boiler does not give up on you in the most inconvenient times, such as the depth of winter when you will need it most, and you are suddenly without warm water or a functioning central heating system, having sufficient boiler cover is the right choice for most Brits.

The right boiler cover can give you the peace of mind you need when worrying about having a warm and safe home for you and your family. Therefore it is important to make an educated choice when looking into covering your heating systems.

Compare boiler cover to ensure that you get the best deals in the UK nationwide which include a free annual service.

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Why should you get a British Gas Home Care cover plan?

Maintaining your boiler, central heating, and other home systems during the spring or summer months can help ensure they function properly during the winter when breakdowns are more likely to occur.

This is particularly important in the UK where cold and wet winters can cause extra strain on these systems.

British Gas offers comprehensive home care services, including boiler maintenance, electric and plumbing services, and central heating care. However, it’s important to consider if this is the best option for your specific needs.

This extensive review will take a close look at British Gas HomeCare as one of the most used boiler cover choices in the UK. At the end of it, you should be able to make an educated decision on whether what a HomeCare cover offers for you is the right fit in terms of how much a boiler service costs, advantages and security for your home.

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British Gas HomeCare Introduction

British Gas is the biggest local energy provider in the UK and one of the leading companies when it comes to offering comprehensive boiler cover through their British Gas HomeCare services.

The company prides itself in caring about energy efficiency and homeowners across Great Britain. Their comprehensive package offering, which will be evaluated in a bit, along with putting valuable customers first (explained later as well), definitely does speak testimony to this.

They employ a wide range of electrical engineers and outsource to other local expert services, which makes them able to respond swiftly in case one of their customers is struggling with a boiler issue.

HomeCare cover has been chosen as a favourable option by many homeowners who want to make sure they have reliable hot water as well as heating cover.

This company offers a significant amount of options when it comes to packages to choose from as well as ways to pay monthly or annually.

You can get a full cover for all the best boiler brands along with an annual boiler service, maintenance of other parts of your house and meter readings, or just get cover in case your boiler does have a major issue. British Gas HomeCare really leaves it up to you!

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What You Can Get

The company offers a wide array of cover options for all kinds of homeowners and risk factors out there. There are four major service options to choose from when looking at getting a monthly boiler cover from British Gas HomeCare:

British Gas HomeCare One Cover

This HomeCare plan is the most basic one and will provide you with an initial inspection of your boiler and heating system to determine whether you will need a new boiler or whether your old one is sufficiently functioning to be covered. Included in this package are also the usual annual boiler services along with the 24/7 customer service hotline.

British Gas HomeCare Two Cover

While this option entails all of the above-stated features, you will also receive central heating breakdown cover that covers you if you need to get a new boiler.

British Gas HomeCare Three Cover

On top of the services offered in HomeCare Plan one and two, package three will provide you with plumbing and drain cover to make sure all the pipes your boiler is connected to remain intact and well-maintained by a British Gas engineer to look after your electrical appliances.

British Gas HomeCare Four Cover

The most extensive package will also cover your house’s electrical wiring maintenance.

Something that could be very attractive for homeowners that don’t want to commit to paying fees monthly for issues they might potentially never have is to just choose a breakdown HomeCare cover for your boiler.

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There are two options to choose from:

Boiler and Controls Breakdown Cover

This option ensures that in case your gas boiler or the controls, programmer, or thermostat are faulty, you will be covered for a full repair. This would also include all labour costs involved in the price.

Be sure to check the terms and conditions to find out which services are included or excluded in this package, as this does not cover an annual boiler service.

Central Heating Breakdown Cover

This package will extend the repair of your gas boiler and its controls over to the radiator, the hot water cylinder as well as the gas central heating system in general. Just as with the first option, all labour of a heating engineer involved as well as the parts necessary for heating repairs are included.

Again as this does not cover annual boiler services, be sure to also check the Ts&Cs to make sure you are aware of which services are not included in this package.

Apart from all of these different boiler repair package options, British Gas offers to assist you in reducing your heating bill and keeping the overall maintenance of your house up to scratch.

Another great advantage of being their client, apart from their boiler services, is that you will receive an extensive discount on British Gas HomeCare products, as British Gas also sells boilers.

In addition to your HomeCare cover, they offer to assist you in the implementation of high-tech devices, such as their own product called “Hive”, into your electrical system at home, which is supposed to assist you in creating a Smart Home.

Got an old boiler that keeps breaking down? Take a look at the latest boiler costs to see if it is worth getting a new one rather than spending money on repeat repairs.

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British Gas Home Care Cost

British Gas HomeCare offers you the option to pay monthly or the annual cost. All of these options include a £60 excess for call-out services.

HomeCare Plan	Annual Cost	Monthly Cost
HomeCare One	£204	£17
HomeCare Two	£185	£15.42
HomeCare Three	£230	£19.17
HomeCare Four	£260	£21.67

As mentioned before, customers in the UK also have the option to just choose cover against boiler breaks which include a £99 excess and will cost you the following:

• Boiler and Controls Breakdown Cover: £2.50 per month
• Central Heating System Breakdown Cover: £5.50 per month

However, as a British Gas HomeCare customer, you will need to be aware that the usual annual services which are included in the normal British Gas HomeCare cover packages are not included in these basic covers.

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British Gas service plan prices

If you are just looking for an annual boiler service from British Gas then you would need to contact them to ask for a service quote, as prices vary from location to location, for example, the cost of a British Gas service in London will be more than in Leeds.

Boiler service plans are a good way to not have to fork out a large lump sum every year and ensure that you remember to get your service booked.

One-off British Gas service cost

If you would prefer to just pay for a one off boiler service from British Gas then you can get a quote online. The average British Gas service cost £110 which means that in some areas such as London, prices are as high as £125, whereas in northern areas they are around £100.

Always make sure you compare service prices online to get the best quotes.

Is British Gas Home Care any good? The Pros and Cons

To give you a more comprehensive overview and to properly weigh the positives and the negatives of this company against each other, here are the most significant advantages and disadvantages of the British Gas services:

Advantages of Homecare

• The cover options come at relatively affordable prices for a normal UK household.
• The company prioritises vulnerable customers (elderly, families with young children) for their call-out services first.
• You have the option to just cover yourself against a boiler breakdown instead of paying a monthly fee for an overall service package.
• There is no cap for boiler claim costs.
• Every cover option includes annual boiler checks in the price.
• A broad range of service options to choose from.
• British Gas offers a 24-hour service helpline and any-time call-out services for its clients.
• The company does not put a limit on call-outs.
• There is no limit stipulated as to how many claims you can hand in during a year.
• If you have to replace a boiler, you can get a high-quality boiler at a discounted rate through your British Gas HomeCare cover.

Disadvantages of Homecare

• In popular British Gas reviews, customers have complained about delayed customer service responses more extensively than with other boiler cover providers.
• Because of their prioritisation of vulnerable customers, others might have to wait a bit longer for their electricians and engineers to come and assist.
• British Gas HomeCare engineers have been criticised for the level of quality they delivered when visiting a customer.
• Compared to other local boiler repair companies, British Gas HomeCare prices are relatively high.
• British Gas increases the price after your first payment.

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Which is the best HomeCare option?

British Gas has an extensive array of options on offer when it comes to their British Gas HomeCare plans and even has something for people that only want to be covered against the worst-case scenario of boiler breakdowns.

At the end of the day, it depends on your boiler and the system it is running on, as well as its age and how well you feel you can maintain it.

If you have a fairly new boiler and feel that there are never going to be any issues except for if there is a full breakdown, getting the cheapest HomeCare cover option, for only £2.50, is potentially the best way to go for you.

However, should you have the slight worry that your boiler is going to let you down very soon or that your electrical system might need updates, and you just want someone reliable to come and have a look at whatever you feel is causing trouble in your house, one of the more extensive cover plans is probably more recommendable.

Are there alternatives to British Gas Homecare?

Yes, there are alternatives to British Gas Homecare such as Homeserve boiler cover which is arguably their main competitor in terms or size, services and price. This is because they are both relatively more expensive than other companies such as Boiler Central. who also offer cover.

Here is a list of British Gas Homecare alternatives for you to look at if you are considering boiler cover insurance for your home, and if you want more information, read our British Gas vs Homeserve boiler cover review to see which is best.

• Boiler Central boiler cover
• Homeserve boiler cover
• Hometree
• 24/7 Home Rescue
• Corgi Home plan

Final Thoughts – Is British Gas Home Care worth it?

It is absolutely not mandatory, and some might even argue not necessary, to obtain a boiler cover. Unless you fear that you are prone to fall victim to a faulty boiler or that in case there is an issue will not be able to fix it yourself or pay for a sufficient service out of your own pocket.

If you, however, decide to get a boiler cover for your home, British Gas HomeCare is a decent option to go with.

With that being said, it is always important to consider all your options and do extensive research on which other alternatives there are currently on the market.

The bad reviews on the internet that have caused British Gas some points on the cons side might also not be weighed too heavily when trying to decide about this company.

One should always remember that negative reviews stem from people who were upset enough to use their energy and make their voices heard, so you are most likely to read about the worst examples ever. But barely anybody would ever write a review if they were just basically satisfied.

With that being said, this company has an extensive track record of covering people against having their boilers going rogue on them and is most likely a good option to choose in any case.

Did you know British Gas sell heat pumps? See the latest heat pump prices from British Gas

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