"Boiler breakdowns are, more often than not, the result of lacklustre or irregular checks and maintenance"
- Tyrone Ekrem - Fair Fix
New research from boiler engineer experts, Fair Fix, analysed boiler breakdown statistics in England over the decade between 2009 and 2019 to reveal how many boilers require repair or replacement each year, and how much this costs the nation’s households.
The data shows that 20.8 million households are reliant on a boiler to heat the home and provide hot water this winter.
Between 2009 and 2019, 5.1% of these boilers broke down and needed repairing or replacing. This is equivalent to just over 1 million boilers.
As such, it can be estimated that an average of 107,108 boilers break down each year.
At an average repair cost of £300 per boiler, it’s revealed that the total cost of boiler failure in England is £32.1 million per year.
Which regions bring the highest chance of boiler failure?
On a regional level, you are most likely to fall foul of a faulty boiler this winter in London, where an estimated 6.1% of boilers break down across a 10-year period, which is equivalent to 18,661 households.
This means that the average annual cost of boiler repair in London is £5.6 million.
In the West Midlands, 6% of boilers fail during the course of a decade, which means there are 12,861 annual breakdowns, creating an annual regional repair cost of £3.9 million.
Meanwhile, the decade saw 5.6% of boilers fail in the North East, which equates to 5,943 annual breakdowns and a repair cost of £1.8 million.
Founder of Fair Fix, Tye Ekrem, commented: “Boiler breakdowns are, more often than not, the result of lacklustre or irregular checks and maintenance. Modern boilers are incredibly efficient, sturdy, and reliable, which is why only 5% break down over a 10-year period.
"But because repair required as a result of failure can be relatively pricey, even such a low percentage of breakdowns results in significant financial outlay.
"The smart thing to do is ensure that your boiler is serviced and checked regularly - at least once a year - by a licensed boiler and gas engineer.
"The cost of a service visit is significantly less than a repair job and certainly a replacement boiler, and due to the quality of modern boilers, regular servicing will mean you’re highly unlikely to become one of the 5% who suffers a total breakdown and, as such, has to contribute to £32 million annual national spend.”
