Time to replace the old boiler ?

[joe_bloggs*]

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/29/royals-want-new-boiler-we-pay-for-it

When you are on a limited income, a boiler packing up, a leaky roof, dodgy guttering or a basement full of asbestos can tip you over the edge. If you are mortgaged-up, you cannot let your property fall into disrepair. If you live in social housing or are renting privately, you may find you receive little help; landlords and councils will keep you waiting and do the bare minimum. Rising food and fuel bills mean that, despite our much-trumpeted growth, too many are left with the "heat or eat" dilemma.

So can you imagine what it is like to be the poor old Queen? The boiler in Buckingham Palace is 60 years old.

What, though, is the Queen to do? Obviously the answer is not pay for it herself out of her own enormous fortune because … well, she is the Queen. We – her largely indifferent subjects – should be ecstatically happy to pay for her repairs. Instead,

[guardpig]

If in rented accomodation the Landlord usually pays.  Buckingham Palace belongs to the nation not the Queen.

Whilst she can afford it maybe she really doesn't actually want a new one.  Our boiler is on it's last legs, spares for the part which is currently faulty are not available, to our certain knowledge it is over 25 years old.  Now it limps along - some days we have heating when we want it, others it works when it feels like it and others it just doesn't work but it hasn't been such a big deal this winter that we are about to pay out a few thousand(that we haven't got) for a new boiler which (in the words of several engineers) is not as good quality and won't last as long as the one you have now.  Of course it will be more efficient and may save mony but ...............................................................I really do not want to spend the money on something where the advice is to take out the longest warranty you can because they keep breaking down!.  Several friends have had exactly the same "mysterious" fault we have and one boiler was about 4 years old the other 4 months and 3 different makes!  Really fills me with confidence!!.  Maybe the Queen feels the same.

[lhasa.two]

How many 87 year old public sector workers do you know who are still working? We don't want her to catch cold.

Yes absolutely, the new boiler should be paid for by the treasury.

Pretty good service if it's 60 years old, that's since 1953 and I imagine the technology has moved on a bit since then...

[electric*mayhem*band]

I think it's high time she moved into a nice little one bedroom flat, somewhere in the leafy suburbs. In that large detached, her and Phil must be bouncing around like two peas in a bowler hat.

[10phizz]

They do live in a flat. There have been photographs leaked with her cornflakes in Tupperware .  Most of the rest are reception rooms, state rooms and offices and staff  accommodation

[joe_bloggs*]

Perhaps this would be a good idea

I wonder if she's been clobbered yet for the bedroom tax? And of course buck house is only open to the public for a very limited time,unlike the Whitehouse which is open nearly every day,the extra income could pay for her new boiler,or maybe another accidental () fire at Winsor castle.In this day and age they have valets to run the baths and even to put toothpaste on their brushes for god sake when many people can barely afford to put the heating on.I think it was the president of Uruguay who opened up the presidential palaces for the homeless,and as we know theres now a record ammount of homeless people in London,Just a few ideas to help her scrape the pennies together Lodgers perhaps?

[electric*mayhem*band]

I still maintain they should move to somewhere smaller, preferably into a ground floor flat with a small garden for the corgis. Somewhere in Berkshire would be ideal, since quite a few celebrities dwell there, and so her and Phil would be in good company.

Anyway given the size of Buck House and it's location (SW1), her council tax must be astronomical.

Has she thought about writing a Cookery Book, to eke out her meagre pension ? Or maybe signing a few photographs at a quid a throw ? Even putting a few of her baubles on ebay ? Her possibilities are endless, I'd have thought. The theme park is also a good idea Joe, if she didn't feel like upping sticks and moving. She could sit on her state throne at the gates being queenly, and rake in the admission fees.

I might put these ideas to her Private Secretary - that's assuming she can still afford one.