On this page
- Should you get a boiler service when you move into a new home?
- What boiler paperwork should you ask the seller for?
- Is a home buyers gas report worth it?
- What should you check in your first week?
- Why service the boiler before your first winter?
- What if the boiler turns out to be old or faulty?
- Booking a boiler service in your new home
- Frequently asked questions
Quick answer
When you move into a new home, ask the seller for the boiler manual, Benchmark service record, installation certificate and guarantee details. In your first week, find the gas emergency control valve, test the CO alarm and check the boiler pressure. Then book a service before winter unless there is clear proof of a recent one.
Key takeaways
- Ask for the Benchmark record, installation certificate and guarantee details before completion.
- Most standard home surveys do not test the gas installation.
- A home buyers gas report gives you a Gas Safe engineer's view before you commit.
- Without proof of a recent service, book one before your first winter.
A home survey tells you about the roof, the walls and the damp. It usually says very little about the boiler beyond its approximate age and whether it appeared to work. Yet the boiler is the one appliance in the house that burns gas every day, and you are taking on its history the moment you get the keys.
Should you get a boiler service when you move into a new home?
Yes, unless the seller can show a recent service recorded by a Gas Safe registered engineer. You have no way of knowing how well the boiler has been looked after, whether faults have been ignored or when it was last opened up. A service gives you a safety check and a clear starting point.
If the seller does hand over a service record from the last few months, you can reasonably wait until the anniversary. If there is nothing, or the last entry is years old, book one soon after you move, and certainly before the heating season.
What boiler paperwork should you ask the seller for?
Ask your solicitor to request the boiler paperwork as part of the enquiries, so it arrives before completion rather than never. The most useful documents are the manual with its Benchmark record, the installation certificate, any guarantee details and recent service invoices.
| Document | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Installation manual with Benchmark record | Shows commissioning details and every service since the boiler was fitted |
| Building Regulations compliance certificate | Confirms the installation was notified through the Gas Safe Register |
| Guarantee registration | Tells you whether manufacturer cover exists and whether it transfers |
| Service invoices or reports | Show dates, parts replaced and any faults noted |
| Previous landlord gas safety records | Useful history if the home was let |
Our guide to the Benchmark service record explains what a properly completed logbook looks like. If a relatively new boiler has a manufacturer guarantee, check whether it transfers to you; our Vaillant service guide covers what guarantee paperwork usually needs to show.
Is a home buyers gas report worth it?
For many buyers, yes. A standard survey rarely includes testing the gas installation. A home buyers gas report is carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer before you commit, and covers the visible condition and safety of the gas appliances and pipework, so you know about problems before you exchange contracts.
Our home buyers and sellers gas report costs £125. It is especially worth considering for older properties, homes that have been empty for a while, or where the seller has no service history to show. Sellers can use the same report to answer buyers' questions early.
What should you check in your first week?
A few simple checks help you get to know the system and spot anything that needs attention. None of them involve opening the boiler.
- Find the gas emergency control valve. It is usually next to the gas meter. Make sure you know which way turns it off.
- Test the carbon monoxide alarm, or fit one if there is none. Our guide to carbon monoxide alarms and your boiler covers where it should go.
- Check the boiler pressure gauge against the figure in the manual.
- Run the heating and hot water and check every radiator warms up. Cold spots at the top usually mean trapped air; our guide on how to bleed a radiator shows you how.
- Look at the flue terminal outside and make sure nothing is stored against it.
- Photograph the boiler data badge so you have the make, model and serial number when you book work.
If you smell gas at any point, turn off the supply at the emergency control valve if it is safe to do so, open windows, do not use electrical switches, and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. Never remove the boiler casing to investigate.
Why service the boiler before your first winter?
A boiler that behaves perfectly in May can show its problems in November, when it runs for hours a day. Faults like a blocked condensate trap, worn electrodes or low system pressure often only reveal themselves under sustained load. A service in late spring or summer finds them while you still have time to fix them calmly.
It also gives you a reference point. From your first service onwards, you know exactly what has been done, and you can keep the logbook up to date for your own future sale.
What if the boiler turns out to be old or faulty?
Find out early. If the service or gas report shows the boiler is near the end of its life, you have time to budget and plan a replacement over the warmer months rather than dealing with a breakdown in January. If you bought with a known fault, get it looked at promptly rather than living with it.
Booking a boiler service in your new home
Whether you want a pre-purchase gas report or a service once you have moved in, we can help across Stoke-on-Trent and the surrounding towns. Book an annual boiler service in Stoke-on-Trent from £90, and we also cover boiler service in Kidsgrove and boiler service in Alsager.
Call 07896 677083 to book, and have the boiler make and model to hand if you know it.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays for a home buyers gas report?
Usually the buyer, as it is part of their own checks before committing. Some sellers commission one to reassure buyers and speed up the sale. Either way, the report is carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer and reflects the condition of the installation on the day.
Can I ask the seller to service the boiler before I move in?
You can ask, and some sellers agree, especially if the boiler has no recent service history. Ask for the record to be completed in the Benchmark section and a copy of the invoice. It does not replace your own checks once you move in.
What if there is no boiler manual in the house?
Most manufacturers publish their manuals online, so note the make and model from the data badge and search the manufacturer's website. Your engineer can start a new service record if the original Benchmark pages are missing, so future services are still documented.
Does a new boiler guarantee transfer to a new owner?
It depends on the manufacturer and the terms. Some guarantees transfer with the property, sometimes only if the new owner registers the change. Contact the manufacturer with the boiler's serial number to check, and keep proof of annual servicing from then on.
Sources and further reading
Gasmaster Plumbing & Heating has served Stoke-on-Trent since 2005. Every article is written by our Gas Safe registered engineers (reg. 220932) from day to day work on boilers, heating and gas appliances across Staffordshire, Cheshire and Derbyshire.
