Your boiler has lost communication with your heating controls, meaning your radiators might not turn on when you want them to.
Book a Gas Safe engineer within 24–48 hours. Your boiler may be unsafe or could break down completely if left.
Technical description: Check room thermostat batteries
What causes this fault?
This fault occurs when the boiler is unable to receive a signal from your heating controls, meaning it doesn't know whether it should be heating your home or not. The most common reason is that the batteries in your wall-mounted thermostat have run out of power, though it can also happen if the wireless signal is being blocked by a new obstacle or if the receiver on the boiler itself has developed a fault.
This fault is frequently seen at the start of autumn when homeowners turn their heating back on for the first time and discover their thermostat batteries have drained over the summer.
DIY fix possible
Locate your wall-mounted room thermostat or portable controllerOpen the battery compartment (usually by sliding a cover or pressing a small tab)Replace the old batteries with a brand new set of high-quality alkaline batteriesCheck if the display on the thermostat turns back on and try to call for heat
Find a Gas Safe engineer
Search the official register for a qualified engineer in your area.
Gas Safe Register →Protect yourself from future repair bills
A boiler cover plan would cover faults like Room Thermostat Fault — no call-out fees, no surprises.
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Could it be time for a new boiler?
If repair costs are adding up, a new energy-efficient boiler could be the smarter long-term choice.
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.