Hive · Does Hive work with my boiler?
Does Hive Work With My Boiler? Combi, System, Oil and More
Updated
Hive works with most gas boilers, but not with every heating system, and the kind of boiler decides which receiver you need. This guide sets out what Hive says about each system, the boilers it lists as incompatible, and what the install involves, as checked on 31 October 2026.
In short
Hive says its thermostats work with most gas and LPG boilers, oil boilers with an existing thermostat or programmer, and electric boilers with standard controls. They do not work with storage heaters, plug-in heaters or electric underfloor heating, and Hive says its engineers cannot yet install on solid fuel or heat pumps because testing is not finished. Combis use the single channel receiver; boilers with a hot water cylinder use the dual channel receiver. Hive lists ten Worcester Bosch models it cannot work with.
Get matched
Start a JACK request
Native app
Start the request here, then add extra photos or videos from the JACK app if the pro needs more detail.
Boilers Hive lists as incompatible
Hive's compatibility article names ten Worcester Bosch boilers that only accept Worcester's own TR2 room thermostat. Among them:
- Greenstar HE Plus (ZWBR 7-28A and ZWBR 11-35A)
- Greenstar 30 HE Plus Combi and 35 HE Plus L Combi
- Greenstar R 30HE Plus, R 35HE Plus and R 40HE Plus
- ICC2 (ZWBR 11-37A), CRD 537i and CRD 542i
Hive says all other boilers are, to the best of its knowledge, compatible. Send a photo of your boiler's label and the pro checks the model before pricing.
Existing controls that have to come out first
Hive also names two control systems its thermostat cannot run alongside:
- Honeywell SmartFit controls: Hive says they have to be removed, including all electrically operated valves, before Hive can be installed; changing valves is plumbing work, booked separately
- A Vaillant VR 65 control centre: Hive says the external controller has to be removed first
- In both cases the pro looks at your photos to see where those controls connect; anything that means working at the boiler itself needs a Gas Safe engineer
Hive and your heating system
What Hive says for each type of system, and what the installation involves on a JACK booking:
| System | Hive? | What the install involves |
|---|---|---|
| Gas or LPG combi boiler | Yes | Single channel receiver in place of the existing timer or receiver; OpenTherm only with a boiler-end connection by a Gas Safe engineer |
| System or conventional boiler with a vented cylinder | Yes | Dual channel receiver at the programmer or wiring centre (S-plan or Y-plan) |
| Gravity-fed or part-pumped system | Yes | Dual channel receiver set to gravity-fed mode |
| Unvented (pressurised) cylinder | Yes, Hive says | JACK pros work on vented cylinders only; any change to an unvented cylinder's controls needs a G3-qualified installer |
| Oil boiler with a thermostat or programmer | Yes, Hive says | Hive does not offer its own installation on oil and recommends an OFTEC-qualified engineer |
| Electric boiler with standard controls | Yes, Hive says | Receiver in place of the existing controls |
| Wet underfloor heating | Yes | Depends on how the zones are wired; send photos of the controls |
| Heat pump | Not yet | Hive says its engineers cannot install a Hive Thermostat on heat pumps until its testing is finished |
| Storage heaters, plug-in heaters, electric underfloor heating | No | Not supported by Hive |
| Solid fuel, such as biomass or coal | Not yet | Hive says its engineers cannot install on solid fuel boilers until its testing is finished |
From Hive's product pages and its boiler compatibility article (updated 14 May 2026), checked 31 October 2026.
How Hive installation is priced
A vetted pro prices your job from photos of the boiler, your existing controls and the Hive kit, and the JACK app shows you that fixed price before you book.
Where the wiring already is matters more than the device. A receiver that goes where an old programmer was, on the same wiring, is the simplest job. Hot water on a cylinder, an old wired thermostat to take out of the circuit, a receiver that has to move, or several zones each add time. A photo of the boiler, the old controls and anything labelled near the hot water cylinder lets the pro price what is really there.
Several devices go on one booking for one price: the thermostat, the hub, and Hive Radiator Valves for each room. Other jobs, such as a smart doorbell, can go on the same visit. Where parking has to be paid for, it is added at cost and agreed before you book.
Prefer to pay for the pro's time? Hourly hire works too: as a guide, smart home installation is typically £45–£95 per hour.
Frequently asked questions
Does Hive work with a combi boiler?
Yes. A combi uses Hive's single channel receiver, which controls the heating. Hot water on a combi is heated on demand, so Hive hides its hot water features. On compatible combis Hive can also run in OpenTherm mode, which needs the boiler-end connection made by a Gas Safe engineer.
Does Hive work with Worcester Bosch and Vaillant boilers?
Most of them. Hive lists ten older Worcester Bosch models that only take Worcester's own thermostat. For Vaillant, Hive only flags homes with a VR 65 control centre, which has to be removed first.
Can Hive control a heat pump?
Not with a Hive Thermostat today: Hive says it has not finished testing on heat pumps, so its engineers do not install the thermostat on them. Hive separately introduces customers to heat pump installers, and some heat pumps work with the Hive app, but that is a different product from the Hive Thermostat.
Hive devices by type
Hive thermostat installation
The Hive Thermostat, the Thermostat Mini and older Hive thermostats: fitted, placed well and paired.
Hive receiver and hub installation
Single channel, dual channel and OpenTherm receivers, and the Hive Hub that runs the app.
Hive radiator valve fitting
Smart radiator heads for room-by-room control: adaptors matched, paired and scheduled.
Hive multizone installation
A Hive thermostat and receiver for each existing heating zone, wired, paired and labelled.
More guides
Who can install Hive?
Gas Safe engineer, electrician or DIY: what the rules in England say for each Hive job.
Where to put Hive
Hive's placement rules for the thermostat, receiver and hub, and moving them when the spot is wrong.
Hive receiver lights explained
What each light on a Hive receiver and hub means, and when to book a visit.
Switching to Hive
Replacing Nest, Honeywell, Drayton or an old programmer with Hive: what comes out and what goes in.
Hive vs tado°
How Hive and tado° compare to install: receivers, hubs, hot water, OpenTherm and radiator heads.
Hive installation cost
What moves the price of a Hive installation, and how the fixed price is worked out.
Hive in flats and rentals
Landlord permission, boiler cupboards, communal heating and range: Hive in flats and rentals.
Related services in London
Sources
The device facts and rules on this page come from these pages, checked on 31 October 2026.
Jack All Trades (JACK) is an independent London service. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by Hive, Centrica or British Gas. Hive product names are used only to describe the devices JACK pros install, and prices are set by JACK pros, not by Hive. JACK pros do not work inside boilers or claim Gas Safe registration.
Get your Hive heating fitted
Send photos of your boiler, your current controls and your Hive kit in the JACK app, see a fixed price from a vetted local pro, and pick a time that suits you.
Get a fixed price in the app