Ceiling above boiler is sooty-is this bad?

Are you able to take a good picture and upload it using many picture hosting web sites?

you may want to get this checked to be safe, it could be reminence from an old boiler, or years of dust that sits on the ceilings. when is the next landlords certificate due?

Sooting on the ceiling around or near the appliance can be a sign that the appliance is leaking products of combustion. Get this checked ASAP because if this the case then it can be lethal. Don’t ignore this. But on a lighter note it could be historic from an old appliance but you need to sure either way.

Signs of “sooting” on or near a gas appliance are usually a signs for concern. If you are a landlord or live in rented accommodation then you should have a carbon monoxide detector/alarm installed in the rented property. This has been law since October 1st 2015. It’s possible that the staining pre-dates the installation of your current boiler and wasn’t cleaned off. I recommend getting the boiler checked by a qualified engineer, making sure that you have an up to date carbon monoxide alarm (not the colour-change type!! They don’t wake you up if you’re asleep or unconscious) and cleaning the stain off the ceiling and seeing if it reappears over time. It is vital that you carefully follow the manufacturer’s instructions when installing the CO alarm. If unsure get a gas engineer to do it for you.