to wonder what do other people do when the boiler dies?

[HookedOnHooking]

We aren't badly off. We manage. But we have absolutely nothing left at the end of the month. Nothing much in the way of savings. Enough for stuff like Christmas or birthdays, because there is nothing much left to save. We aren't frivolous. Don't go out more than once every couple of months. shop in Lidl and buy clothes in tesco.

The boiler is just about dead. A new one costs ££££££££. I haven't got £££££.

What do you do? Bank loan? Payment scheme thing? Wash in cold water?

[laffymeal]

We had to borrow off my MIL. It's horrible OP, it really is.

[myusernamewastaken]

Don't bother with Homeserve...they are awful x

[Etak15]

I think icantuckmyboobs has had the best idea yet!

[BonAppetit]

I am sure British Gas do a scheme where you can buy the boiler and add it to the monthly bills. Check that out if you can. I haven't read all the posts so someone else may have suggested it.

[Justaboy]

JOOI Hooked, what make and model is it do you know?

[HookedOnHooking]

Thanks. H is on the research and i have a few options shortlisted. Will have to do a pay monthly thing.

Boiler is old. Been being fixed for last few years and the cost of keeping on fixing bits adds up and it's still shit and broken. No tax credits or benefits.

[shutupanddance]

We had british gas covet but after many call outs they condemmed it.

[shutupanddance]

We got credit from british gas and pay monthly.

[goldierocks]

Hello Hooked

I'm a single mum, working full-time. Like you, I have enough to cover all bills/Christmas and birthday presents but find it hard when something unexpected crops up. (I don't qualify for any state assistance or schemes).

My boiler had been breaking down since 2011. First the thermostat went, then I would randomly get either hot water or heating but never both together. I tried to go down the Homeserve route, however when British Gas came out for the initial inspection they wouldn't cover me due to the age and condition of my boiler. They refunded the first premium I had paid.

The British Gas engineer quoted me over £5000 for a replacement system, including removal of old water tank and two new rads. The cost could be added to my bill.

Through the recommendation of a friend, I have a fabulous plumber who would patch-up my old boiler for me. He must have come out at least twice a year for 4 years and never charged me a penny. He told me in 2011 that my boiler probably had another couple of years at most and to start saving!

In March this year it finally went, and by September I had saved enough. I had 5 quotes in all; my plumber was cheapest by over £2000. Definitely worth ringing around.....

While I was saving, I received a huge legal bill. I didn't want to use my boiler savings so had a chat with my local Credit Union (due to STBXH debts, I would never qualify for a credit card, bank loan or overdraft). They were really helpful and I got a loan with them at a very, very low interest rate.

Had I not been so close to the amount I needed for my new boiler, I definitely would have used the Credit Union again. I now save with them a little every month - sometimes it's only £10, but it all adds up.

Good luck

[saucony]

Yup, we used to have boiler cover and they had to give it a service/check up first. Money was tight, so we got rid of it and the bloody boiler packed up a few months later. We had to beg for a loan from DP's parents which wasn't fun but they kindly obliged.

[DraculasDixieNormas]

payment scheme by British gas and boiler cover in future

[Collared]

Can you get boiler cover? It might be worth ringing Homeserve or British Gas. We were covered by Homeserve for years before our boiler gave up and I'm sure I only rang them because it was broken. British Gas do payment schemes for new boilers, I think they start at around £10-15 a month.

Give them both a call and explain the situation. I do feel your pain, we had years of boiler problems and it was a nightmare.

[2ndSopranosRule]

We knew our boiler needed replacing as it was a) 40 years old and b) one specific part kept on breaking every four weeks. Our local boiler people kept on replacing it for us - at no extra charge - as they wondered if the part was faulty. Then two other parts went in quick succession and although the parts were available, the repair work was £400.

Agree that British Gas, for example, will try to suggest boilers need replacing. We didn't have cover as we did in our last property and when we had no hot water the engineer said it was my fault for not turning on the taps correctly!

[Witchend]

The boiler cover we looked at started with a free check up...

[TheBunnyOfDoom]

These threads make me SO grateful that we rent and that our boiler is the landlord's responsibility! It was replaced last winter but that was after it broke once/twice a week for a few weeks. No way could we have afforded all that!

When we have emergency bills, we use the credit card, or dip into the savings if it's only a small sum. I know I could ask my parents if we were desperate but I wouldn't want to unless we have no choice.

Who is your boiler with? Do you have any kind of insurance with your gas provider?

[TheoriginalLEM]

Icantuckmyboobs - not wrong, bloody good thinking!

[MrPorky]

I don't know the answer to the finance question, but who's told you the boiler's dead/dying?

I know of three recent examples where one of the big "service providers" have told people the boiler need to be replaced, only for a local plumber/heating engineer to fix it for less than £100.

[zen1]

This happened to us last year. We borrowed the money from DH's parents and set up a standing order to pay them off so much a month. We've only just finished paying it off.

[ICanTuckMyBoobsInMyPockets]

I did something quite immoral but I was desperate.

I got boiler cover, about £16 per month. I knew I couldn't claim for the first 14 days, so I waited 16, then called and acted the innocent "i can't believe it, it was meant to be when I bought the cover la la la"

Yes it was wrong, but I had no choice.

That's what I did. Not advising you should do the same of course

[2ndSopranosRule]

Our boiler died of old age last year. Like you, we gave very little left at the end of each month. We ended up getting a loan with Zopa for around £1,500 (the new boiler work was more but we paid the rest - it wasn't much more though) and we can afford the £40 monthly repayments. What we're finding is that the new boiler is so, so much more efficient than the old one that our savings on our bills are amounting to nearly half the repayments. It means that we're overpaying the loan.

[TheTigerIsOut]

By the way, there is normally a wait for these schemes, I will be eternally grateful to WarmFront, but my boiler died in October and my turn to have the boiler installed didn't come until March.

[motherofallhangovers]

We've been without hot water for 2 months now.

Heating is still working thankfully. We're boiling kettles to wash up and pots and pans to bath every few days and we take turns with the water (like the old days - except DC go first.

Car and freezer also broken so we are without.

Last time we needed cash we didn't have we got a 0% purchases credit card. That was to get a new car but it lasted less than a year and now we're car less but still paying the debt off which stings! So not sure if I recommend that method! (Still not paid any interest though).

[TheTigerIsOut]

Apending= spending

[TheTigerIsOut]

There should be a replacement of the WarmFront scheeme from years ago. Perhaps a Google search willhelp youfind a similar scheme?

Fortunately, boilers are not as expensive as they used to be, when mine died, they were about £3,000. now they cost about £1,000.

After spending a few weeks sofa surfing with DS, and many days and nights tucked in the bedroom with child, dogs and an electric heater and asking friends if I could borrow their shower, I can say that I much rather spend the Christmas and birthdays' money in keeping the house warm than putting the family through a week of this ordeal.

Act quickly before it dies, because once that that happens you will be apending most of the time (and money) avoiding to be in a freezing house.

[WhoTheFuckIsSimon]

Yes, if you're on certain tax credits the gov are doing a scheme where you get one very chesp. A friend of mine just paid £200 inc installation.