Gas and LPG boilers
Anyone working on a gas or LPG boiler must be on the Gas Safe Register. Check the engineer's ID card, and check the back of it shows they are qualified for the appliance you have.
Oil boilers
Many homes in rural Norfolk are not on mains gas and are heated by oil. Oil work is not covered by Gas Safe. Look for an OFTEC registered technician, who can self-certify that a new oil boiler or tank meets Building Regulations. Ask them to check the tank and its base as well as the boiler.
Annual servicing
Most boiler manufacturers recommend a service every year, and many warranties depend on it. Ask the engineer for a written record of the service, and keep it with your boiler paperwork.
Replacing a boiler
A new boiler must meet Building Regulations. If a Gas Safe registered engineer fits it, they should notify the work, and you should then receive a Building Regulations compliance certificate. You should also get a completed Benchmark commissioning checklist, and the manufacturer warranty should be registered in your name.
Get quotes based on a visit to your home, not a price over the phone. Ask about the boiler size, the controls, where the flue will go and whether the system will be cleaned or flushed first.
Heat pumps
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives grants towards replacing a fossil fuel boiler with a heat pump in England and Wales. The installer applies for you and must be certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). Check the current grant and eligibility on gov.uk.
Carbon monoxide
Fit a carbon monoxide alarm in rooms with a boiler, fire or stove that burns fuel. Landlords in England must fit one in any room used as living accommodation that has a fixed combustion appliance, other than a gas cooker. If you smell gas, call the National Gas Emergency number on 0800 111 999.