Gas Central Heating Cover for Landlords

Terms & Conditions

You have entered into a contract of insurance with Inter Partner Assistance SA and a separate contract with Homeserve to arrange and administer the policy. This document represents the entire agreements of the parties on the matters in question, which will be subject to English Law, and the parties submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts.

Please read this document carefully, we do not wish you to discover after an incident has occurred that you are not insured. If you have any queries, please call Homeserve on 0800 783 0951.

DEFINITIONS RELATING TO THE INSURANCE AND ADMINISTATION TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Certain words within your terms and conditions or your policy summary have a particular meaning, shown below.  Each time we use one of these words it will have the same meaning:

1. You/your: the landlord of the named property as stated in the terms and conditions, and his/her tenant normally living in the property.
2. Tenant: the occupier of the property named in the Tenancy Agreement.
3. Inter Partner Assistance SA/we/us/our: Inter Partner Assistance SA, The Quadrangle, 106-118 Station Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1PR, United Kingdom. Registered No. FC008998.
4. Homeserve: Homeserve Membership Ltd, Cable Drive, Walsall, WS2 7BN, registered in England no. 2770612.
5. Property: Your named let house or individual flat comprising private dwelling, garage and domestic outbuildings (excluding sheds, greenhouses, non-permanent structures and garden areas) all within the property boundary at the address shown on your policy documentation. It must occupied by a tenant as a private residence with no business use.Mobile homes, bedsits, and properties shared by more than 6 tenants or more than 1 family lare not covered. Council and housing association tenants will not need this service.
6. Domestic Gas Central Heating System: The central heating boiler contained within and supplying your let property, fired by natural gas (excluding warm air heating) from the appliance isolating valve, including all manufacturers fitted components within the boiler together with the pump, motorised valves, cylinder thermostat, time, temperature and pressure controls, radiator valves, pipework, feed and expansion tank and primary flueing. The maximum permissible output of the private domestic gas fired boiler at your let property is 60 kW/hr.
7. Breakdown and/or failure: Sudden or unforeseen electrical or mechanical malfunction of the Domestic Gas Central Heating System at the let property which renders the system inoperable or when two or more radiators are not working.
8. Engineer: an approved CORGI registered engineer.
9. Beyond Economical Repair: The point at which we estimate that the cost to repair the boiler at your let property exceeds its value (based on the scale of valuations according to age and boiler type). In the event of the boiler being found beyond economical repair the policy will immediately cease.
10. Exclusion period: To prevent claims on pre-existing problems (and therefore to reduce premiums), in your first year of cover, there is an initial 14 day period when you are not covered. The date from which you are able to make a claim is shown on your Policy Summary under ‘period of insurance’. Providing you renew before the expiry of your policy, the exclusion period does not apply after your first year of cover

COST OF COVER

1. The cost of cover is the total amount you pay as detailed in your policy documentation, which consists of the Arrangement and Administration Fee of £11.00 and the premium. The Arrangement and Administration Fee is the amount you pay for arranging and administering the cover, and the premium is the amount you pay for the insurance contract. These arrangements do not affect the amount that you pay for your cover or the service that you receive. References to ‘Gas Boiler Breakdown Cover’ and ‘Cover’ in all documents include services within both contracts.
2. Your policy premium will be reviewed upon renewal. Any claims made will also be considered within the review. Any amendments to the policy premium will be confirmed on your Policy Summary approximately 28 days before the expiry of  your cover.

ADMINISTRATION TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This cover is arranged and administered for you by Homeserve Membership Ltd, Cable Drive, Walsall, WS2 7BN.

1. Homeserve will arrange and administer your insurance cover and agree service standards for the delivery of the cover provided by the insurance. If the insurance does not provide the cover you need, you should return your Policy Summary to Homeserve at the FREEPOST address shown below (see number 6) within 28 days of the policy start date and your premium will be refunded in full, provided no claim has been made. Please note that your statutory cancellation rights, which begin at the end of the exclusion period (if applicable) are included within this 28 day period.
2. The minimum period for which you may hold this policy is 12 months. Homeserve will arrange for collection of policy premiums in accordance with your instructions. If  you fail to make a payment on the due date, your policy will be suspended immediately and during this period you will not be covered. Homeserve will notify you in writing within 5 working days if  your fail to make a payment. If  you do not pay in full within 30 days of the due date, your policy will be cancelled. Any outstanding payments will be requested and upon receipt of cleared funds your cover will restart.
3. Homeserve reserve the right to cancel this policy by giving you at least 7 days notice at your last known address.  If Homeserve cancel the policy, Homeserve will refund your premium for the remainder of the current policy period shown on your policy summary, unless a claim has been made.
4. Homeserve will contact you in writing before your policy expires to arrange renewal of  your policy.  Homeserve reserve the right to refuse renewal of any individual Homeserve policy.
5. You are responsible for informing Homeserve of a change of  your address, so that cover can be transferred to your new property (Please note, the boiler in your  new home must meet the boiler eligbility criteria). Please phone 0800 783 0951 to advise Homeserve of  your new address or write to the FREEPOST address shown below (see number 6)
6. If  you have a complaint relating to an administrative matter, please phone 0800 783 0951 or write to Freepost RLYC-LXAL-GEEH, Customer Relations Department, Homeserve, Walsall, WS2 7BN. In the unlikely event that you are not satisfied with the response from Homeserve, you can ask us for details of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).

INSURANCE TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This insurance is underwritten by Inter Partner Assistance SA who are a wholly owned subsidiary of AXA Assistance SA and part of the world wide AXA Group.

Inter Partner Assistance SA is authorised by the Commission Bancaire, Financière et des Assurances (CBFA) in Belgium (their regulatory arm) and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) here in the UK.

What is covered?

Section A: Breakdown and/or failure of the Domestic Gas Central Heating System

1. If  you suffer a breakdown of  your gas fired domestic gas central heating system at the address on your terms and conditions, you should call us on the breakdown hotline number on your policy summary. We will then:
   1. advise you how to protect yourself and the property immediately;
   2. offer to organise and pay on your behalf for the call-out, labour, parts, materials and VAT involved in repairing or remedying the breakdown and/or failure of the gas fired domestic gas central heating system.

Section B: Landlords’s Annual CP12 Inspection

1. We will arrange for an engineer to carry out an annual CP12 inspection of the gas fired domestic central heating system and a safety inspection of all other fixed gas appliances. The engineer will issue the appropriate certificate to statutory requirements. We will arrange with you a date for this inspection during the period of cover. Please note that inspections are normally undertaken Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, between April and September. It is recommended that all boilers are serviced and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.   

General Conditions:

1. We reserve the right to pre-screen all boilers and we will not cover your domestic central heating boiler if it is not in good working order, if parts are not available or your boiler does not meet our eligibility criteria. We may arrange and undertake outbound telephone questionnaires, in a number of cases, to pre-screen against our eligibility criteria.         
2. If any recommended remedial or maintenance works notified during the gas boiler service and/or breakdown/failure (if requested) are not carried out within 28 days or your domestic central heating boiler does not meet our eligibility criteria (for example if spare parts are no longer available), we will automatically cancel your policy.
3. Claims must be made via the 24 hour claims number by you or a person calling on your behalf at the time of the breakdown and/or failure. We will not cover the costs of work carried out by contractors not authorised by us in advance. Any gas leaks MUST in the first instance be reported to the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.
4. In order for us to verify your cover, when calling, please have your policy number ready to quote. The Homeserve engineer may also ask you to produce your Policy Summary when they arrive at your property.
5. By providing the tenant with the policy documents the landlord is deemed to have given the tenant permission to claim directly in the event of a breakdown and/or failure.
6. It is the tenant’s responsibility to inform the landlord that a problem has occurred and that a claim has been reported.
7. This policy is for landlords only. Council Retail, commercial and other premises used for business are not eligible for this cover.
8. If any loss, damage or expense covered under this policy is also covered by any other insurance or maintenance contract, you must provide us with full details of the other contract. We will not pay more than our fair share (rateable proportion) of any claim.
9. You must co-operate with us in obtaining reimbursement of any costs we incur under the terms of this cover, which may have been caused by the action of a third party, against whom you have a legal right of action.
10. Details of  you, your insurance cover and claims will be held by us for underwriting, processing, claims handling and fraud prevention subject to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998.
11. We may change any of the terms upon which we provide this insurance to you, including the underwriting risks, the level of cover, or any other term whatsoever.  Where this change benefits you, we will make the change immediately and notify you of the change within 28 days.  In all other cases we will write to advise you of the change at least 28 days prior to any change taking effect.

What is not covered

1. Inter Partner Assistance SA provides the services and benefits described in these terms and conditions for the period of insurance shown on your Policy Summary. But there are conditions and exclusions which limit your cover. Please read them carefully to ensure this insurance meets your needs.

Exclusions

1. The following are excluded from the insurance:
   1. replacing the central heating boiler or appliance;
   2. repair/replacement of the hot water cylinder (leaking hot water cylinders will be drained and isolated);
   3. repair/replacement of radiators (leaking radiators will be drained and isolated);
   4. the cold water supply tank, it’s feed and outlet;
   5. the domestic water supply from the hot water cylinder or gas appliance, to and including the taps;
   6. combination cylinders, elson tanks, thermal storage units, unvented hot water cylinders or their controls;
   7. separate gas heaters providing hot water;
   8. LPG fuelled boilers and dual-purpose boilers (e.g. Aga, Rayburn);
   9. underfloor heating;
   10. maintenance or replacement of fan convector and heated towel rails;
   11. descaling and any work arising from hard water scale deposits or from damage caused by aggressive water or sludge resulting from corrosion. Signs that work is needed may include a noisy boiler, sludged up pipes or poor circulation;
   12. any gas appliance for example, cookers and gas fires (with the exception of gas fires forming part of a back boiler);
   13. solar panels and any associated pipework;
   14. combined heat and power systems;
   15. ground, air and water source heat pump systems.
2. Inter Partner Assistance SA shall not be liable for:
   1. any item not forming part of the domestic gas central heating system;
   2. the domestic gas central heating system if it is beyond economical repair (see Definitions point 9);
   3. any event arising from circumstances known to you before the insurance began;
   4. a breakdown and/or failure, when it has previously been identified by a Homeserve engineer (during a breakdown or service) that remedial/maintenance work is required to prevent a future breakdown and/or failure of  your domestic central heating system. Such remedial and/or maintenance work will need to be carried out at your cost (see General Conditions No. 2);
   5. costs incurred where you have been advised of the need to carry out permanent repair work to avoid repetitive situations leading to a breakdown and/or failure;
   6. any loss in the event of damage occurring where the property has remained unoccupied for 60 or more consecutive days;
   7. loss or damage arising as a result of disconnection from or interruption to the public gas, electricity or water mains services to the property;
   8. normal day-to-day maintenance of the domestic gas central heating system at your property, for which you are responsible. This includes the descaling of central heating pipes, adjustment to the timing and temperature controls of the domestic gas central heating system, venting (bleeding) of radiators,the addition of corrosion inhibitors, or payment for the replacement of items within your property, which will gradually wear out over a period of time;
   9. replacement of parts for the domestic gas central heating system which need to be replaced as a consequence of natural wear and tear, gradual deterioration or corrosion;
   10. the domestic gas central heating system in the event of spare parts not being available after a reasonable search of stockists;
   11. any items where the replacement is only necessary as a result of changes in legislation or
   12. health and safety guidelines;
   13. equipment which has not been installed, serviced or maintained in accordance with
   14. statutory regulations or British Standards or manufacturer’s instructions;
   15. any defect or failing which may be attributed to the original design of the gas fired domestic gas central heating system or appliances;
   16. any defect, damage or breakdown caused through malicious or wilful action, negligence, misuse or third party interference including any attempted repair or modification to the domestic gas central heating system, which does not comply with recognised industry standards;
   17. any liability for consequential loss, whether as a result of a defect or malfunction of the domestic gas central heating system or arising from any goods, services, arrangements or advice provided by us or any agents acting on our behalf, unless through our or their negligence;
   18. any part of the domestic gas central heating system (including pipes and ducts) which are too difficult to access safely, for example, safe floor boarding and/or lighting is required within loft spaces, or any part of the domestic gas central heating system which is impossible or impractical to maintain because of its position, for example a boiler situated in a confined space, inaccessible due to the insulation of fitted units;
   19. any delays caused by our suppliers or their agents in obtaining spare parts that are not immediately available;
   20. damage caused to the property and/or its contents whilst completing a repair will not be reinstated to the original condition. The engineer will advise if any damage is likely to occur;
   21. any costs above the limits of cover. You are responsible for agreeing and settling these costs directly with the engineer;
   22. any defect, loss or damage occasioned by fire, lightning, explosion, tempest, flood, earthquake, impact or other extraneous causes;
   23. any loss arising from subsidence, heave of the site or landslip caused by:
       1. bedding down of new structures;
       2. demolition or structural repairs or alterations to the property;
       3. faulty workmanship or the use of defective materials;
       4. river or coastal erosion;
   24. any loss or damage arising as a consequence of:
       1. war, invasion, act of foreign enemies, terrorism, hostilities (whether war is declared or not), civil war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, coup, riot or civil disturbance;
       2. ionising radiation or contamination by radioactivity from any nuclear fuel or from any nuclear waste from combustion of nuclear fuel, the radioactive toxic explosive or other hazardous properties of any explosive nuclear assembly or its nuclear component.

   Inter Partner Assistance SA – A promise of service

   We wish to provide you with a very high standard of service. Very occasionally we receive complaints, which we investigate at once, andevery effort is made to resolve them to your satisfaction.

   If  you have a complaint please phone Homeserve on 0800 783 0951 or write to FREEPOST RLYC-LXAL-GEEH, Customer Relations Department, Homeserve, Cable Drive, Walsalll, WS2 7BN.  If  your complaint relates to the service you experienced as a result of a claim, and you feel that the matter has not been resolved satisfactorily, you may escalate your complaint to the General Manager of Inter Partner Assistance SA, The Quadrangle, 106-118 Station Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1PR. In the unlikely event that you are not satisfied with the response from Inter Partner Assistance SA, you can ask us for details of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).