The Short Answer
On our estimates, an annual gas boiler service costs £80 to £150. An oil boiler service is £90 to £130 and an electric boiler £85 to £130. Baxi, the boiler maker, says a service takes 40 to 60 minutes on average, longer for an older boiler or one that hasn't been serviced for a while.
Gas Safe Register recommends a service every year unless the manufacturer says otherwise, and makers such as Baxi and Glow-worm make it a condition of their warranties. If you let a home, a gas safety check every 12 months is the law.
Boiler service prices
| Boiler | Annual service |
|---|---|
| Gas (mains or LPG) | £80 to £150 |
| Oil | £90 to £130 |
| Electric | £85 to £130 |
What a service covers
Gas Safe Register separates a safety check from a full service:
- A safety check makes sure the appliance is burning gas correctly, suits the room it's in, and is stable and properly connected, and checks the air supply, safety devices, flue, chimney and vents.
- A service adds the manufacturer's own tests, such as a flue gas analysis, and checks the seals, gaskets and the cleanliness of the heat exchanger.
Baxi adds that the engineer checks for carbon monoxide at every service and replaces worn components if needed: ask whether parts are included in the price. Make sure you're paying for a service, not just a safety check, and ask for the paperwork: I'd keep it with the boiler's warranty documents.
How long it takes, by boiler
Glow-worm, another maker, says combis are the most straightforward to service because there's no cylinder; system and regular boilers have more to check, and older boilers take longer. So expect the lower end of the 40 to 60 minutes for a newer combi and the top end, or more, for an older system with a cylinder.
How often, and why it matters for the warranty
Every year. Baxi makes an annual service a condition of all its warranties, and says missing one may invalidate the warranty; Glow-worm says to service yearly to keep the guarantee after the first year. A service also costs a fraction of most repairs: compare £80 to £150 with £200 to £450 for a typical part on our boiler repair page.
Landlords: the annual gas safety check
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations make landlords responsible for keeping gas appliances and flues safe. Each one must be checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer within 12 months of being installed and then at least every 12 months. Existing tenants get a copy of the record within 28 days of the check, and new tenants before they move in. A homeowner doesn't legally need a gas safety record for their own home. I'd book the service and the safety check at the same visit.
Free checks and cover plans
Free gas safety checks: Gas Safe Register says your energy supplier may offer one if you get means-tested benefits. It's worth asking them before you pay.
Cover plans: Glow-worm notes that the total yearly cost of a plan can be more than £250, so I'd compare that with paying for a service each year and putting the difference aside for repairs.
Oil boilers aren't gas work. OFTEC, the oil heating trade body, registers the technicians who can self-certify oil heating work, so its register is a good place to find someone.
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Frequently asked questions
How much should a boiler service cost?
On our estimates, £80 to £150 for a gas boiler, £90 to £130 for oil and £85 to £130 for electric.
How often should a boiler be serviced?
Once a year. Gas Safe Register recommends a yearly service for every gas appliance unless the maker says otherwise, and makers such as Baxi and Glow-worm make it a warranty condition.
Is a boiler service worth it?
I'd say yes: it keeps the warranty valid, checks the boiler is safe, and costs £80 to £150 against £200 to £450 for a typical repair with a part.
What's included in a full gas boiler service?
A safety check (combustion, air supply, safety devices, flue and vents) plus the maker's own tests, such as a flue gas analysis and checks on seals, gaskets and the heat exchanger. Worn parts are replaced if needed; ask whether they're in the price.
How long does a boiler service take?
About 40 to 60 minutes on average, Baxi says, and longer for older boilers or ones that haven't been serviced for a while.
Do landlords need a boiler service every year?
Landlords need a gas safety check by a Gas Safe engineer at least every 12 months, with a copy to tenants within 28 days. I'd book the service at the same visit.
How we priced thisView sources (8, 4 official)
Rules come from the legislation and official guidance, read at source. Prices are our estimates: we check them against trade price data, retailer shelf prices and specialists' price lists, then build them up from their parts so the totals add up. Below are the sources behind the page; the trade price guides we only compare against aren’t listed. Where sources disagreed, we've said so. More on our method.
- OfficialSafety check your gas appliances, Gas Safe Register. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- OfficialThe Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, regulation 36: duties of landlords, legislation.gov.uk. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- OfficialThe Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, regulation 3, legislation.gov.uk. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- IndustryHow long does a boiler service take and how much does it cost?, Baxi. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- IndustryHow much does a boiler service cost?, Glow-worm. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- IndustryBuilding regulations and heating installation work, OFTEC. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- OfficialThe Building Regulations 2010, Schedule 3: self-certification schemes (para 16, roof coverings), legislation.gov.uk. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- IndustryBoiler service, British Gas. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
