At the moment, in the course of regular boiler maintenance, tenants are increasingly being pressurised by plumbing companies to have expensive, apparently immediately necessary repairs carried out immediately at their own expense.
In fact, regular boiler maintenance is mandatory for tenants and should not be postponed under any circumstances – we recommend carrying out maintenance every year unless otherwise stipulated in the tenancy agreement.
Once you have found a plumbing company, ask for a written estimate for standard maintenance before the appointment so that the costs are transparent from the outset.
In any case, insist on an invoice and keep it – this way you can prove to your landlord that you have carried out the maintenance.
If damage is found on site that is not covered by maintenance, do not order repairs straight away!
Instead, ask for a list of the damage and, if necessary, a cost estimate for the repair. Then contact your property management company. In most cases, they are responsible for repairing (but not maintaining!) the boiler.
If you are warned of urgent or acute danger, have this also confirmed in writing by the installation company.
It can’t hurt to have a second person with you at the maintenance appointment so that you can’t be put under pressure so easily if the worst comes to the worst.
As a guideline (as of 2024), EUR 100 to EUR 200 can be assumed for maintenance – beware of significantly cheaper bait offers!
Our ÖH tip: Have your boiler serviced outside of the heating period, as there are sometimes cheaper offers from reputable providers. If a more extensive repair of the boiler is necessary, the time pressure is also less than in the winter months.
