Advice on plumbing / parts for electric water heating system

[goingbacktowork]

Our flat has an electric water heating system (no gas at all). It is like a large kettle. There has been a leak and plumber today said that there are 2 parts to the system and that the heating element have gone in both (one is a back up for the other). They are "very expensive" (price being provided tomorrow). Apparently the elements that are in the type of systems in our flat only last on average 4 years (ours has lasted 8). Does anyone have any idea of the cost involved with replacing 2 of these and of draining down the system to put right a small leak in one of the pipes? Many thanks

This happened in my father's flat - I don't remember the elements being terribly expensive and I was there when he drained the system down (it's only a question of turning the stopcock off and putting some hose on the little tap-like bit at the bottom of the tank). Of course, his system could be different from yours but it really wasn't a big deal. Can you turn the cylinder off, drain it yourself and then remove one of the elements(from memory they unscrew). You could take it to a builders merchant and ask how much a new one would be. Maybe the name or serial number would be on the outside bit and you could just google it.

I agree do some detective work before you commit to anything.
If you can get a serial no as LaLa suggests you can call an electrical wholesaler or builders merchant and ask for advice/prices, also look on the Screfix forums (will come up if you do a google search).