The best boiler cover for UK landlords in 2026: eight plans compared

The best boiler cover for a landlord in 2026 bundles the annual gas safety certificate with breakdown cover and a service, because a landlord already has to pay for the certificate and the service every year. British Gas's landlord plans include the CP12 in every tier from about £18 to £22 a month with a £60 excess; YourRepair, the NRLA's partner, fixes its landlord price for three years; 24|7 Home Rescue is the cheapest full-service plan at £18.49 a month with a £45 excess; and Hometree covers any boiler regardless of age from £12.95 a month and is acquiring Corgi HomePlan. Landlord cover matters more than owner-occupier cover because the landlord carries a statutory repair duty and, since the Renters' Rights Act, fixed timescales for heating failures, so the response promise is as important as the price. This guide compares eight plans on monthly price, excess, certificate inclusion, boiler age limits, response times and exclusions, with prices as published on 5 September 2026; providers change them weekly and run introductory offers, so treat every figure as a starting point.

Which plan suits which landlord

What landlord boiler cover must do

A landlord's boiler is subject to three obligations a homeowner's is not. The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 require an annual gas safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer and a certificate given to the tenant; section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 makes the landlord responsible for keeping heating and hot water installations in repair; and since the Renters' Rights Act 2025 extended Awaab's Law to the private rented sector, a total loss of heating or hot water is a hazard with fixed investigation and repair timescales rather than a "reasonable time". Your servicing obligations, and what an annual service involves, are in our boiler servicing guide; the repair duty under section 11 sets the obligation, and how long a landlord has to fix problems sets the clock; heating and hot water failures fall under the hazard timescales in part two of the Renters' Rights hub.

Landlord cover therefore needs four things: the CP12 included or bookable through the plan, an annual service every year rather than year one only, a response commitment the landlord can quote to a tenant, and the right for the tenant to call the engineer directly. A plan missing any of the four is homeowner cover with a different name.

What we compared

We assessed each plan on monthly price at the entry landlord tier, excess per claim, whether the CP12 is bundled, whether the annual service is included every year, boiler age limits and the beyond-economical-repair contribution, response promise, whether tenants can call direct, and multi-property pricing. Starting prices vary by postcode, excess and promotion; the figures below are published entry prices in August and September 2026.

The eight plans compared

Prices as published on 5 September 2026 or in dated comparisons from June to September 2026. Every plan's service date and CP12 expiry can sit in August's compliance tracker so the certificate never lapses, whichever provider issues it.

1. British Gas landlord HomeCare: best for network and response

British Gas sells a landlord version of each of its four HomeCare tiers, and every one bundles the annual CP12 alongside the boiler service, breakdown repairs and unlimited call-outs, from about £18 to £22 a month at the entry tier with a £60 excess, rising to about £45 for the top tier. It runs the largest engineer network in the UK with same-day call-outs in most postcodes for calls before 11am, and guarantees a replacement if the boiler is unrepairable and under seven years old. It sits at the upper end on price and the first claim is blocked for 14 days from the start date, with an initial inspection required on older boilers.

2. YourRepair: best for a fixed price and NRLA members

YourRepair is the NRLA's home emergency partner and markets its landlord cover on a fixed price for three years, with the CP12, annual service, unlimited call-outs and a tenant helpline, and multi-property discounts. For a landlord who has watched a national brand's renewal price climb year on year, the price fix is the point. Prices are published on its site by tier and excess.

3. 24|7 Home Rescue: cheapest full-service plan

24|7 Home Rescue's plan at £18.49 a month with a £45 excess includes boiler breakdown, annual service, plumbing, drainage, home electrics, home security and pest control, which is broader than British Gas at a lower price; its promotional rate of £8.99 for the first year reverts to £17.98 from year two, so budget for the full figure. Landlord bundles add the CP12. Some tiers carry a two-year price fix. It employs its own engineers rather than relying wholly on subcontractors.

4. Hometree: best for older boilers

Hometree covers any gas boiler regardless of age or make with unlimited claims and no cap on repair costs, from £12.95 a month, which makes it the strongest buy for an out-of-warranty boiler the other providers would inspect and exclude. Its free-replacement offer stops at boilers under seven years old, in line with the market. In May 2026 its owner agreed to acquire Corgi HomePlan, so Hometree's terms are the ones to read for both brands from now on.

5. HomeServe: read the service terms before you buy

HomeServe quotes each property individually rather than publishing prices and includes the annual service free in year one only, charging about £120 a visit thereafter, which for a landlord who must service annually anyway removes most of the plan's value. Its replacement offer applies to boilers under seven years old. It belongs on the list because it ranks, not because it suits landlords.

6. Corgi HomePlan: comprehensive, but check the post-acquisition terms

Corgi HomePlan has long sold some of the most comprehensive tiers in the market with an annual service every year, and the brand continues after the Hometree acquisition agreed in May 2026 with completion expected over the summer. Confirm which company's terms, engineer network and claims line apply on the day you sign.

7. Everywhen home emergency add-on: best for single-insurer landlords

Everywhen, formerly Towergate, offers landlord boiler and home emergency cover as an add-on to its landlord insurance, so one insurer and one renewal covers buildings, contents, rent guarantee and the boiler. It is insurance rather than a maintenance plan, so there is no annual service or CP12 in the price; buildings and contents cover is compared in best landlord insurance.

8. A local Gas Safe engineer's service contract

Local engineers often offer annual service contracts at £10 to £15 a month with the CP12 included and fewer exclusions than the national plans, and the same engineer turns up every time. The trade-off is capacity: one engineer cannot promise same-day response in a cold snap. For a landlord with one or two properties and a trusted engineer, it is often the best value on the list.

Is boiler cover worth it for a landlord?

Boiler cover is worth it when the boiler is out of warranty and the landlord cannot absorb an unplanned £300 to £2,500 repair or replacement inside the repair timescales; it is not worth it while the manufacturer's warranty runs, usually the first five to ten years provided the boiler is serviced annually, because the warranty already pays for parts and labour. Under seven years old, buy a standalone CP12 and service instead; a standalone CP12 costs £60 to £120, see gas safety certificate cost, and the certificate itself is explained in our gas safety certificate guide. Over ten years old, cover pays for itself on the first winter breakdown.

From working with landlords across the UK, the tenants who escalate a heating complaint are rarely the ones whose boiler failed; they are the ones who could not reach anyone for two days. A plan the tenant can call directly, with a number in the tenancy welcome pack, is worth more than the cheapest excess.

Does landlord insurance cover the boiler?

Standard landlord buildings insurance covers sudden damage to the boiler from an insured event such as fire, flood or escape of water; it does not cover breakdown, wear, servicing or the certificate. Home emergency cover, whether an add-on to the insurance policy or a standalone plan, is what covers breakdown. What landlord insurance does and does not cover is in what landlord insurance do you need.

Exclusions to check before you sign

Every plan excludes pre-existing faults, and most inspect an older boiler before cover starts and exclude sludge, scale and system flushing. Check the beyond-economical-repair contribution, which runs from £250 to £750 where capped; the annual claim limit; whether the plan covers the flue, controls and external condensate pipe; and whether the service is included every year. A plan that is cheap in year one and charges £120 for the service from year two is not cheap.

When the boiler fails

Tenants report a breakdown through August's maintenance feature, which timestamps the report for the repair clock and holds the engineer's job sheet against the property. Preparing the heating for winter is covered separately in preparing a rental property for winter.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best boiler cover for landlords?

British Gas for network and response with the CP12 in every tier, YourRepair for a three-year fixed price and NRLA members, 24|7 Home Rescue for the cheapest full-service plan, and Hometree for boilers over ten years old. Avoid plans that include the service in year one only.

Does boiler cover include the gas safety certificate?

British Gas landlord plans and YourRepair include it; 24|7 Home Rescue, Hometree, HomeServe and Corgi offer it as an add-on or landlord bundle; insurance add-ons such as Everywhen do not. A standalone certificate costs £60 to £120.

How quickly must a landlord fix a broken boiler?

Section 11 requires repair within a reasonable time, and since the Renters' Rights Act extended Awaab's Law to private tenancies a total loss of heating or hot water carries fixed investigation and repair timescales; see part two of the Renters' Rights hub for the current figures. In practice, same-day or next-day is the standard tenants and councils expect in winter.

Do I need August to manage boiler cover?

No. You need a plan the tenant can call and a certificate that does not lapse. August tracks the CP12 and service dates and timestamps the tenant's breakdown report. You can start for free.

This article is general information, not financial advice. Cover plans are insurance products regulated by the FCA; prices and terms change weekly, so confirm with the provider before buying.