Buy-to-Let Emergency Cover That Protects Your Rental Income
Protect Your Rental Income, Not Just the Building
A burst pipe or boiler failure can turn a rental property into lost income overnight. This cover gets a qualified engineer out fast, so problems get fixed before they become void periods.
- Tenant-reported emergencies handled without you being on-site
- No callout excess on covered claims
- Cover stays active through tenant changeovers and void periods
Buy to LetWhat Is Buy-to-Let Emergency Cover?
This is emergency home repair cover for a rented property, arranged around a fast, 24/7 helpline. It is not a substitute for buildings insurance, and it does not cover the wider risks of being a landlord such as tenant damage, void rent, or liability claims. What it does is get an urgent problem — no heating, a burst pipe, a total loss of power — fixed quickly, before it turns into a bigger repair bill or an unhappy tenant.
Most buy-to-let mortgage lenders require buildings insurance separately as a condition of the loan. This emergency cover sits alongside that, handling the immediate callout that buildings insurance was never designed to cover.
What's Included in Your Emergency Cover
Plumbing & drainageburst pipes, leaks, blocked drains
Boiler & heatingno heat, no hot water, breakdowns
Electrical emergencytotal loss of power, exposed wiring
Pest controlinfestations that make the property unsafe
Alternative accommodationwhere the policy provides it, if uninhabitable
Gold Plan
£1,000 per claim, up to 3 claims per period of insurance. Suited to investors who want a higher payout per incident.
Platinum Plan
£500 per claim, up to 6 claims per period of insurance. Better suited if you expect several smaller repairs across the year.
Your Legal Duties as a Buy-to-Let Landlord
Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, you have a statutory duty to keep the structure, heating, hot water, and sanitation of the property in working order. Emergency cover doesn't replace this duty — it gives you a fast, practical route to meet it when something breaks unexpectedly.
- Keep heating and hot water systems in working order
- Maintain the structure and exterior of the property
- Keep sanitation (toilets, sinks, drainage) in working order
- Respond to reported repair issues within a reasonable time
Every Void Day Costs You
An unresolved emergency can make a property unlettable until it's fixed. A fast, professional response protects your rental income and your relationship with your tenant — most buy-to-let investors aren't on-site, so a single helpline your tenant can call directly matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Buildings insurance and emergency cover are separate policies covering different things. Emergency cover handles the urgent callout and immediate repair; buildings insurance covers larger structural damage and rebuild costs. Most buy-to-let mortgage lenders require buildings insurance separately — this cover complements it.
Yes — cover is attached to the property itself, not to a specific tenancy, so it remains active during void periods between tenants, subject to the policy terms.
Yes, your tenant can call the claims line directly to report an emergency, so you don't need to be reachable at all times for something to get fixed.
Gold gives a higher per-claim limit (£1,000) with fewer claims allowed (3 per period). Platinum gives a lower per-claim limit (£500) but more claims allowed (6 per period) — better if you expect several smaller repairs rather than one large one.
Cover is arranged against the specific property on the policy schedule. If you sell it, that policy ends for that property; a new policy would need to be set up for a newly purchased buy-to-let.
Protect Your Rental Income From the Next Emergency
Get Gold or Platinum cover in place before something breaks — not after.