The coldest part of winter is the worst possible time for the boiler to break down. So of course, Murphy’s Law means it will. And has. I got up this morning to a freezing house, and my housemate told me that there was a warning light flashing on the boiler. The stone cold radiators were a bit of a giveaway that something was wrong too.

Checking the boiler and the manual, it said that the boiler needed topping up with water, and to phone the service company. Duly noted, I called them, only to have them tell me that if they sent out someone, it would be an £81 call out charge, plus the cost of any work or parts that needed do. Needless to say, I was utterly disgusted. £81 just to come round to my house!? Luckily, when I told them what the warning light meant they said that I could do it myself and be taken through it step-by-step by calling a premium rate (of course) service number. They told me to turn a tap that sprayed water all over my work surface. Now I have to get a connector hose from somewhere today to sort this out quickly before the cold weather does a number on my pipes!