Boiler cover for elderly parents
Worried about your mum or dad's heating this winter? Call 0333 772 6247 and we'll talk it through and set it up with you. A service plan, not insurance, from UK Boiler Company Ltd, trading since 2014.
Can you arrange boiler cover for an elderly parent?
Yes, you can arrange boiler and central heating cover for an elderly parent's home. You can build a plan online and see the price, or call Smart Plan on 0333 772 6247 and we'll set it up with you over the phone. Smart Plan is a service plan, not insurance, from UK Boiler Company Ltd, trading since 2014.
Below you'll find what to check before winter, how engineer access works when you're not there, and exactly what the plan does and doesn't do, stated plainly.
What should you sort before winter?
A cold snap is the worst time for a boiler to give up, so a few checks now save a lot of stress later. Make sure your parent's boiler has had a recent service and that they know who to call if the heating stops. It also helps to have a working carbon monoxide alarm fitted near the boiler.
If you'd like the boiler looked after on an ongoing basis, a cover plan folds repairs and an annual service into one monthly payment, so there's no scramble to arrange a repair when something goes wrong. Give us a call on 0333 772 6247 and we'll help you pick the right cover for their home.
How do you arrange engineer access for a relative?
You don't need to be at the property yourself. When something covered goes wrong, we'll talk through who can let the engineer in, whether that's your parent, a trusted neighbour, or a keyholder. Just make sure whoever answers the door knows the engineer is coming and can give them access to the boiler.
If you're organising things on your parent's behalf and want to be the point of contact, call us on 0333 772 6247 and we'll arrange it with you rather than leaving you to work it out online.
What does the plan do, and what doesn't it do?
When something covered breaks down, we arrange a Gas Safe registered engineer to come and put it right, with parts and labour included up to your cover limit. Cover is up to £500 in each 12-month period while a boiler is under 7 years old, or up to £200 once it's 7 years or older. A limit is a maximum, not a promise the whole repair is covered, so on an older boiler a big job may only be met in part and the rest would be yours.
Call-outs under the plan are carried out Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00. A £95 call-out fee applies in defined cases: any call-out in the first 30 days of a new agreement, issues the plan excludes, or where the engineer can't get access. It's monthly rolling, but once a service is used a 12-month minimum agreement period begins.
If you ever smell gas or suspect carbon monoxide at your parent's home, treat it as an emergency: open doors and windows, don't touch electrical switches or use naked flames, turn the gas off at the meter if it's safe to do so, get everyone out, and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 straight away. Always use a Gas Safe registered engineer for work on a boiler or gas appliance, and never attempt gas repairs yourself.
Other help worth knowing about
A cover plan is one option, not the only one. Depending on your parent's circumstances, these can help too, and they're worth checking before you decide:
- Grants: households on certain benefits may get help replacing or repairing a boiler through the government's Energy Company Obligation scheme. Check eligibility on GOV.UK (link below).
- Age UK advice line: no-cost, confidential advice for older people on 0800 678 1602, open 8am to 7pm, 365 days a year.
- Manufacturer warranty: if the boiler is fairly new it may still be under a manufacturer's warranty that already covers parts and labour, so check before paying for anything separate.
- Carbon monoxide safety: make sure a working CO alarm is fitted near the boiler, whatever you decide about cover.
Prefer to talk it through with us?
Call 0333 772 6247 and we'll help you set up the right cover for your mum or dad's home, or build it online and see the price before you commit. Call-outs run Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00, a £95 call-out fee applies in defined cases including the first 30 days, and a 12-month agreement period begins once a service is used. A service plan, not insurance.
Questions from families, answered
Can I pay for my parent's boiler cover?
Yes. You can take out and pay for a plan that covers your parent's home. Call us on 0333 772 6247 and we'll set it up with you, check the cover fits their boiler, and go through the hours, limits and call-out fee so there are no surprises.
What hours do engineers come out?
Call-outs under the plan are carried out Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00. A fault outside those hours, including evenings and weekends, won't always be seen straight away, so it's worth knowing that before you rely on the cover. If you ever smell gas, call 0800 111 999 first.
Is there a call-out fee?
A £95 call-out fee applies in defined cases: during the first 30 days of a new agreement, for issues the plan excludes, or where the engineer can't get access to the boiler. It's worth factoring in when you weigh up the cover, and we'll talk you through exactly when it would and wouldn't apply if you call us.
What if my parent's boiler is old?
An older boiler can still be covered here. The limit changes rather than the eligibility: cover pays up to £200 in each 12-month period once a boiler is 7 years or older, or up to £500 while it's under 7. See our page on boiler cover for older boilers for the detail.
How does an engineer get access if I'm not there?
You don't need to be at the property. When we book the visit, we'll go through who can let the engineer in, whether that's your parent, a neighbour or a keyholder, as long as they can reach the boiler. Call us on 0333 772 6247 and we'll arrange the visit with you.
Call us today
Customer service
0333 772 6247New customers
0333 772 6247Write to us
By email
hello@smart-plan.comBy post
2nd Floor, Melrose House
42 Dingwall Road
Croydon
CR0 2NE