The boiler scrappage scheme was welcomed by consumers and industry alike as a great way to help people improve the efficiency of their heating systems and at the same time stimulate flagging businesses, but the scheme has hit problems.

Recent national newspaper reports have revealed that applicants are waiting to receive their vouchers and the call centres are experiencing a backlog of calls.

The scheme is so structured that only those with a voucher (received after lodging a valid quote from a Gas Safe Registered heating engineer) can have the work started. But the vouchers are reportedly suffering long delays as scheme staff cannot cope with demand.

The voucher is worth £400 and was created to encourage people to swap their old boilers – rated G, X or non-rated – for new A rated boilers which are over 90% efficient as opposed to between 50% and 70% efficient. The scheme is being administered by the Energy Saving Trust.

But such was the enthusiastic response that the call centre had quickly received some 160,000 calls for the limited number of vouchers available: at the moment, 135,000. And some 36,000 applicants had been received.

At least say the reports, the number of call centre staff has been doubled and it is now claimed that people who qualify under the scheme will get their vouchers within ten days.

The chief operating officer at the Energy Savings Trust told the media that they had taken the necessary steps to cope with the demand and that things had been dramatically improved, with only a few days backlog remaining and a return to normality quite soon. This included an automatic email being sent to those who contacted the Energy Savings Trust about the boiler scrappage scheme.

The biggest installer of new gas boilers in the UK is British Gas and they have reported that in the first three weeks of January, they had seen a four-fold increase in the number of people asking for a quote as compared to the same period last year. British Gas offer a further £400 rebate over and above the Government voucher, and also offer other incentives on maintenance schemes, services and fittings.

Observers are now concerned that the Energy Savings Trust will have difficulty in processing the payments in time when vouchers are redeemed. The scheme says that voucher payments will only be made on receipt of a valid voucher and paid Gas Safe Registered engineer’s invoice. Payment should then take place in 25 days and the worry is that this system will suffer the same delays as the start of the process.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

With the Government scrappage scheme in full flow, there has never been a better time to buy a new gas boiler. But as with everything, you have to know how to apply.

And British Gas is offering one of the best deals around at the moment, as they not only match the Government’s £400 grant, but add a further £400 (under their own boiler scrappage discount), then throw-in free radiator controls worth £248 and what’s more, offer a year’s free HomeCare 200 which is worth £204. In all, that’s a massive saving of £1,252.

So, if you want the chance of saving £1,252, then ring British Gas now on 0845 074 5994 for your free, no obligation consultation with one of their experienced heating advisors. They will talk you through the options open to you and provide a no obligation quote. The line is open seven days a week from 7am to 9pm.

But, remember this: the Government scheme is on a first come, first served basis, so don’t hang around if you want to save yourself upwards of £1,252. Act now and save yourself some money.

As to how it all works, there are a few things you need to know.

Firstly, you have to live in England.

Secondly, bear in mind that the boiler scrappage scheme is based on replacing less efficient boilers with more efficient boilers. This not only saves you money – it could be as much as £300 a year alone on heating bills – but it also helps save the environment. More efficient boilers means less energy needed in the first place and that means fewer emissions into the environment. In short, it’s a win-win situation for you and the Government.

Most people in the UK still run a less efficient boiler than is available on the market today. So this is the starting point.

And most boilers have for some time been rated under the Seasonal Efficiency of Domestic Boilers in the UK scheme, which thankfully gets abbreviated to SEDBUK. And the good people at SEDBUK have tested virtually all the boilers on sale, or in use, within an average property and rated them accordingly. The top rated A boilers are the most efficient and if you buy a new boiler, it has to be rated A. It means that they are way above 90% efficient and the A SEDBUK rating is the future benchmark for all future boiler installations.

So, thirdly, check the rating on your boiler. If it’s a G-rated appliance, or indeed an X-rated appliance, then you likely have a boiler which is less than 70% efficient. You can begin the process of applying for the boiler scrappage government grant. By the way, the X might have instead the words ‘Efficiency Estimated’, but either way, be assured that it’s not going to be an efficient model.

And, if you can’t find the rating, or you are just a bit unsure, you can still give British Gas a call, because although they do have a very good boiler scrappage offer, they also have great offers on other boiler installations.

Okay, you live in England and your boiler is tainted with the mark G, X, or has the words Efficiency Estimated printed across it.

The next step is to get a recognised heating engineer to give you a quote. British Gas has some of the best engineers out there, but, as always, do not let anyone touch your boiler without their being currently registered on the Gas Safe Register. Only those on the latest register are allowed, by law, to carry out work on gas appliances. But also note that not every engineer is allowed to work on all types of gas appliances, some will only have permission for certain types, so you have to be careful.

The best way to ensure you get the right engineer is go onto the official Gas Safe Register site and physically check out the engineer. This isn’t as ‘Cold War’ as it sounds. When an engineer visits, they should show you their photographic ID card which includes their ID number, their mug shot (check it’s the person holding the card), the name of their business and what gas work they are allowed to carry out. Make a note of the ID number and at a convenient moment, visit the website and load the ID number into their checking facility. It will then quickly give you an answer.

This all might sound ridiculously bureaucratic, but unfortunately, there are quite a few people who die every year through carbon monoxide poisoning, often through faulty workmanship, so just don’t take the risk.

And if you haven’t got access to the internet, telephone +44 (0)800 408 5500 for the same help and advice.

Okay, you’ve checked out your engineer and he’s got a current and valid Gas Safe Register listing. Get him to give you a quote for a new boiler as without a quote, you can’t then contact the Energy Savings Trust who administer the boiler scrappage scheme. Get hold of them via their website, Energy Savings Trust, or telephone 0800 512 012.

They check that you are qualified to benefit from the scheme and if everything is okay, they issue you with a voucher worth £400 which is redeemable from them once you get an invoice for the completed work from your engineer.

So that’s it then and okay, you might have to jump through a few hoops, but the Government are giving you £400 towards a new boiler and what’s more, choose someone like British Gas to install a new boiler for you, and you could save a whopping £1,252.

Just remember, check the efficiency rating of your boiler (if it’s G, or below), get a quote from a properly registered engineer, give that to the Energy Savings Trust, get a voucher and redeem it once you have an invoice for a finished boiler installation. Right, there’ll be a test later!

Guest Article by Neil Camp

For landlords seeking the maximum return on their properties, letting agencies are advising they consider upgrading their properties’ heating systems to include condensing boilers with heating controls.

Landlords are now obliged to show prospective tenants the properties’ Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) which rates each flat, or house, according to their energy efficiency.

Letting agents are pointing out to their landlords that in a competitive market, with a lot of property around, a good EPC rating can make all the difference. Prospective tenants want to know that their money will not be wasted on properties which are expensive to heat and maintain.

Loft and cavity wall insulation can also play a key part, as well as double glazing. But a condensing boiler, which is over 90% efficient, will be a major plus point and will be recognised as such within the EPC report. Unlike old fashioned boilers, this modern design uses the heat from the main combustion process and the heat from the resulting exhaust gases. And its this ability to make use of all the heat generated that makes them up to 30% more efficient than other designs.

Such is their efficiency, that their installation is now mandatory and a part of the Building Regulations. There are exceptions, but this mainly comes down to the type of property in which a new boiler is to be fitted. For example, terrace cottages with back boilers might not have an external wall on which a condensing boiler with its different flue and drainage system can be fixed.

But this different flue (which requires a fan) and drainage system (which takes out fluid from the second heat process) that is necessary for a condensing boiler, does illustrate its only downside: it’s more expensive to buy and fit.

Although once installed, the boiler will make a quick return on the initial investment, especially in attracting tenants to rent a property.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

It isn’t often that we get something free in this world however British Gas are offering a free heating and energy assessment to anyone who rings and makes an appointment. Obviously you have to be at least interested in buying either a new boiler or a new central heating system from British Gas to take advantage of the offer but it is a no obligation quote and you aren’t held to anything once the assessment is done.

The Assessment
The process is simple – you just ring up British Gas on 0845 074 5994 and make an appointment for a fully trained heating advisor to visit your property. Once they arrive they complete a full energy assessment of your property and of your existing central heating system to see where improvements can be made. Following the assessment, your personal heating advisor will calculate how much money you could be saving on your gas bills by having a new system fitted and they will also make a number of recommendations regarding which gas boiler and heating system to have installed. At the same time the heating advisor will explain the payment options available to you so you can make a decision without worrying about where you’ll find a few thousand pounds.

Following the Assessment
Obviously British Gas don’t expect you to make your mind up on the spur of the moment and so the no obligation quote they give you stays valid for a number of months. If you decide to take advantage of the quote then it is another simple phone call to book the installation date. However, if you decide against it then you haven’t lost anything and you won’t be continuously contacted by British Gas in a bid to change your mind.

Why take Advantage of this Offer?
The main reason as I see it is because it is absolutely free and even if you decide to ignore the quote and the heating advice that British Gas give you then at least you have found out how energy efficient your home is – or isn’t as the case may be. Plus because British Gas are such a reliable and well-known company you can trust them to be telling you the truth with regards to the efficiency of your heating system and the improvements that can be made, should you decide to have the work done.

So in conclusion, it doesn’t take a genius to see that the free no-obligation heating assessments being offered to all householders by British Gas are a top idea and that at the end of the day you have absolutely nothing to lose by taking advantage of the service. You might even find that with the variety of payment options and plans available you can actually afford to replace your boiler or your central heating system and start saving the money that British Gas say you can.

Guest Article by Clare Lynock

When asking yourself how do I know if my boiler is inefficient, there is an easy way to find the answer.

Now, lets assume your boiler is happily chirping away and the heating seems to work okay and there seems plenty of hot water. Your house is well insulated, but the bills, well the bills just keep going on up.

Now, all fuel bills have risen throughout 2008 as oil, gas and electricity became extremely valuable commodities. Oil has bounced back down again, but gas and electricity still remain expensive, and who knows what will happen next? The gas companies have signalled price falls in the year, but with the former Soviets playing Russian roulette with the Ukrainians and switching off some European gas, who knows? And as electricity is still generated mainly by burning expensive to acquire fossil fuels, there may not be any significant price drops there.

But one thing is for sure: we are all at the mercy of the power suppliers and the best thing to do, is to ensure that you try and save as much power as possible.

So, taking a quick look at your boiler and guessing how it’s doing, is not really going to work.

Rather, the best thing to ask yourself is, is your boiler a condensing boiler? If it is, then you most probably have about as efficient a boiler as you are going to get. And as long as it’s working properly and is serviced once a year (very important that), then you don’t have much to worry about.

You see a condensing boiler is the most efficient around. At 90% efficiency, it puts older and more conventional boilers in the shade, as some older models can struggle to achieve more than 60%.

The reason why a condensing boiler is so efficient, is that it effectively has two grabs at the available energy provided by the burning of the fuel source. So, the boiler heats the water from the energy produced from the burning fuel and from the energy in the exhaust gases, which can add an extra 20 to 30% efficiency.

And everyone is so keen on these boilers as a way of bringing down the costs of heating and saving the planet with less CO2 emissions, that they are now a part of the Building Regulations. So if a new house is built, or you have a boiler replaced, it should be of the condensing type. There are a few exceptions (mainly to do with the type of property you live in), but it’s now the law.

The only downside with the condensing boiler is that they are more expensive. They have for example two heat exchangers instead of one and they require a fan in the flue (as the second heat process has changed the flow dynamics and a fan is needed to help withdraw the exhaust gases).

The flue also has to be on an outside wall, because a drain system has to be installed to rid the flue of fluid that is created with the second burning process. This is the reason why some properties can’t have condensing boilers. Certain properties cannot have a boiler and flue on an outside wall, so they have to be fitted with a conventional boiler.

So there you have it. Take a look at what type of boiler you have. If it’s not a condensing boiler, then think about getting one, as it will help save you money in the long run.

Guest Article by Neil Camp