What should a landlord record after an emergency boiler repair?

Record what the tenant reported, when it was reported, how urgently it was assessed, who attended, what the engineer found, whether the boiler was left safe to use and what happens next. Keep the engineer’s paperwork, invoices and tenant updates together.

An emergency repair note is useful evidence of how the problem was handled, but it is not automatically the same thing as the annual gas safety record. Keep both where they apply.

The short answer

A good record lets another person understand the whole sequence without guessing. Start with the tenant’s original words, then add the decisions, attendance details and confirmed outcome.

Do not write a technical diagnosis unless the attending engineer has supplied it. “Boiler would not ignite and showed code X” is a useful observation; “gas valve failed” should only appear if a qualified engineer confirmed it.

Record the first report

Note the date and time, who reported the problem and how they made contact. Copy the symptoms accurately: no heating, no hot water, a visible leak, an alarm, a smell, a fault code or unusual noise.

Keep any photographs or videos the tenant supplied, but avoid collecting unrelated images of their home. Record whether children, older people, disabled occupants or anyone with a health need may be affected, because the household’s circumstances can change the urgency and temporary arrangements.

Show how the risk was assessed

Record the safety advice given and why the repair was treated as urgent. A suspected gas escape or carbon-monoxide incident needs emergency action, while a boiler that has simply stopped heating may follow a different route.

If gas is smelled or a leak is suspected, the occupant should avoid flames and electrical switches, ventilate if safe, leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. A carbon-monoxide alarm or suspected fumes also requires the appliance to be stopped and the danger addressed, not a routine appointment.

Record access and attendance

Note when access was requested, who agreed it, the appointment window and who let the engineer in. If the tenant was away, keep the written permission and any key or agent arrangements.

Record the engineer’s name, business, arrival and departure times. For work on a gas appliance or gas fitting, note the Gas Safe registration details shown on the engineer’s ID card and the relevant work category where appropriate.

Capture the confirmed repair outcome

Ask for a plain-English summary from the engineer. The record should say what was found, what work was completed, any parts used and any tests or safety checks reported. Attach the job sheet rather than rewriting technical details from memory.

Most importantly, record whether the boiler was left safe and working, safe but unavailable, or formally identified as unsafe. Keep any warning notice or label information exactly as issued. Never remove a warning label or reconnect an appliance that an engineer has isolated.

Keep emergency repairs separate from the annual gas safety record

HSE distinguishes ongoing maintenance and repairs from the annual gas safety check. A repair invoice or engineer’s job sheet does not replace a gas safety record, and the annual record does not prove that every later fault has been repaired.

There is no single prescribed form for every routine maintenance note, but a landlord must be able to show that necessary maintenance and repairs were carried out. Clear, dated records make that much easier.

Tell the tenant what happens next

Send a short written update after the visit. Say whether the heating and hot water can be used, whether another visit or part is needed, and what the tenant should do if the fault returns.

If the boiler remains unavailable, record any safe temporary heating or hot-water arrangement, who supplied it and the next review or appointment. Do not promise a completion date until the part and engineer availability are confirmed.

Record follow-up work until the job is closed

An emergency attendance may make the property safe without completing the repair. Keep the next appointment, parts order, access agreement and tenant contact in the same timeline.

Close the record only when the confirmed work is complete, the tenant has been updated and any temporary equipment or keys have been recovered. Keep invoices, messages and engineer documents under the property’s normal retention process.

A practical landlord checklist

• Date, time and exact symptoms reported.
• Occupant needs and immediate safety advice.
• Contact attempts, permission and access arrangements.
• Engineer, business and Gas Safe details where relevant.
• Arrival time, findings, work and parts.
• Whether the appliance was left safe and usable.
• Any warning notice, isolation or restriction.
• Temporary heating or hot-water arrangements.
• Tenant update, follow-up visit and final completion.

Related Incredaboil guidance

For access planning, read arranging a boiler repair while a tenant is away. If nobody can provide access, see what to record after a missed repair appointment.