About George Lane, the engineer behind Tarka Boilers
I'm George Lane, a Gas Safe engineer with more than 25 years on boilers. I repair and service mains-gas boilers across North Devon, and I do every job myself.
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George Lane, Gas Safe No. 515374. Fully insured, 25+ years on boilers. I do every job myself, from the first visit to the finished work.
I'm George, and I've worked on boilers for more than 25 years
I'm George Lane, a Gas Safe registered heating engineer (No. 515374). I repair and service mains-gas boilers, carry out landlord gas safety checks and work on central heating and unvented cylinders across Barnstaple and North Devon.
I've done this work for more than 25 years. For most of that time I ran Thames Boilers, my own business in Kent. My family and I have now moved to North Devon, and Tarka Boilers is the same work, done the same way, here.
Tarka Boilers is me. I do every job myself, from the first visit to the finished work, and I'm fully insured.
- Gas Safe No. 515374Check it on the Gas Safe Register
- 25+ yearson boilers and heating
- G3 qualifiedfor unvented hot-water cylinders
- Fully insuredGeorge Lane trading as Tarka Boilers
I work on Worcester Bosch, Vaillant, Baxi, Ideal, Glow-worm, Potterton and Viessmann. Mains-gas boilers only: I don't work on oil or LPG, and I don't fit new boilers.
What my customers say
5.0 from 103 Google reviews for Thames Boilers, my previous business in Kent
Tarka Boilers is new to North Devon, so it has no reviews of its own yet. Every review here is from a customer of Thames Boilers, the heating business I ran in Kent before I moved here.
Read all 124 reviewsExcellent service, all problems have been fixed, full service carried out,in fact more was done than British gas have done over several years. I would recommend Thames boilers without any hesitation. Well done and thank you.
Brian P.Google review, May 2026Customer of Thames Boilers, Kent George was very pleasant and worked hard to give my boiler a thorough service. A sudden leaking pipe meant that the job took much longer than expected but this was no problem at all for him. George done an excellent job and I will definitely be using his services again.
Frances M.Google review, May 2026Customer of Thames Boilers, Kent Hi everyone, I had an amazing experience with Thames Boiler Service. George was the one who did all the work. The service was precise, punctual, and the problem was sorted in just a couple of days. I strongly recommend them if you want a reliable boiler service for your property. Thank you, guys! Agnes
Agnieszka W.Google review, April 2026Customer of Thames Boilers, Kent I have been a customer of Thames Boilers for several years. They provide a top quality service, high levels of expertise and excellent customer service.
Teresa H.Google review, January 2026Customer of Thames Boilers, Kent I've been using the services of George at Thames Boilers to service my Boiler and Central Heating for many years now. Always reliable, friendly and efficient.
Paul C.Google review, October 2025Customer of Thames Boilers, Kent In the past ive had a few unreliable plumbers. George did some plumbing work for me in the kitchen recently. Very happy with the repair - always polite, punctual, and tidy. George also services my boiler annually. Will continue to use his services. Have recommended him to friends and family.
Joan R.Google review, June 2025Customer of Thames Boilers, Kent
The difference 25 years makes
Experience shows up in the unglamorous parts of the job. A fault code tells me where to look; years of seeing the same boilers fail in the same ways tell me what to test first, so I find the actual fault instead of replacing parts until something works.
It also means I'm comfortable with the awkward stuff: back boilers, open-vented systems, microbore pipework and boilers fitted in places nobody would choose now.
I don't sell or fit boilers, so I've no reason to push a new one. If a repair makes sense, I'll say so. If it doesn't, I'll say that too, and explain why.
Why I moved to North Devon
My family and I wanted to live here, so we moved. I've set up here, and I cover the towns and villages of North Devon, from Barnstaple and Bideford to Ilfracombe, Lynton and Great Torrington.
The name comes from Tarka the Otter and the rivers of this part of Devon. The business itself is run the way I ran my last one: the price clear before any work starts, a time you choose online, a text with a tracking link when I set off, and the paperwork afterwards.
These are the things people tend to ask about before they book someone they haven't met.
You know the price before I start.
Every price on this site includes VAT. A repair is £220 for all the labour, however long it takes, and you get a fixed price for any parts before they're fitted. Decide not to go ahead, and you only pay £105 for the visit.
I find the fault before anything is ordered.
I test the part a fault points at, and I show you what I've found.
I leave the place as I found it.
I cover up where I'm working, clear up after myself, and run the boiler through a full cycle before I go. You get the house back as you left it, minus the fault.
You get the paperwork.
You get the paperwork, not a promise of it: a written record of what I checked, what I tested and what I found. Gas safety certificates come to you by email, ready for a letting agent, an insurer or a buyer's solicitor.
Parts I fit are guaranteed.
Parts I fit are guaranteed for 12 months, including the labour to put them right, whatever the age of your boiler. The guarantee covers the parts I fit and my work, not the rest of the boiler or system. If sludge caused the fault, I'll still repair it, but that repair isn't guaranteed unless the system has been flushed and a magnetic filter fitted. I'll tell you that before I start, not after.
I'll tell you if something isn't worth fixing.
A boiler well past its design life, with several faults developing, may not be worth spending £400 on. I'll tell you honestly rather than take the repair money.
How booking works
You book
Book online and your time is confirmed straight away. I work Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, and I'm not an emergency service. If it isn't a job for me, I'll say so and point you to someone who can help, rather than going quiet on you.
You'll know when I'm coming
You choose a start time when you book, not a morning or an afternoon. It is an estimate, because the job before yours can finish early or run on. When I set off to you, you get a text with a link that shows where I am, so you can see when I'll be at the door.
What "Gas Safe registered" actually means
In the UK, only a Gas Safe registered engineer may legally work on gas appliances: boilers, gas fires, hobs and anything connected to the gas supply. Carrying out gas work without registration is a criminal offence.
My registration number is 515374. You can check it on the Gas Safe Register, which shows the work each engineer is qualified to do and whether their registration is current. Ask to see the ID card of anyone who comes to do gas work in your home.
Qualifications and cover
- Gas Safe registered, No. 515374
- G3 qualified for unvented hot water cylinders
- Fully insured
- More than 25 years in domestic boiler and heating work
- Trained and experienced on the major mains-gas makes, including Worcester Bosch, Vaillant, Baxi, Ideal, Glow-worm, Potterton and Viessmann
What I don't do
I don't work on oil or LPG boilers, and I don't install or replace boilers. For oil, look for an OFTEC-registered engineer. For LPG, you need a Gas Safe engineer whose registration covers LPG work. I'm not an emergency service: I work Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, and when you book online your time is confirmed straight away.
Due a service or got a fault? Book George online.
Book online and your time is confirmed straight away, or send an enquiry and I'll get back to you within a day or two. I work Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
Prefer to write? Send an enquiry.