Problem with Empty House

Mr_Proctalgia

I am in the process of buying a house for myself and I intend to complete on the 21st, the place is empty and has been for a while, so I have been making periodical visits to check it is OK, and apart from the garden which is now jungle, it has been fine. However today I find that some toe rag has nicked the gas pipe that ran around two sides of the property! :mad: When I viewed the place I realised that it would probably need a new gas carcass anyway as I intend to put in a combi, but now I won't be able to use any gas appliances until this is replaced or is stopped off (It fed the cooker BTW) I intend to have a word with the EA tomorrow, but what is the best way to approach this as the plan was to exchange this week.

hardpressed

If you don't own it yet then it must be the sellers responsibility, they will need to compensate you if you still want to go ahead and buy it, or drop the price to allow for the damage.

missile

I would check out the local crime rate and reconsider if I wanted to live in such an area.

clutton_2

i would be insisting that the EA to get Transco in immediately in case there is a problem with escaping gas anywhere.

delluver

Mr_Proctalgia wrote:

I am in the process of buying a house for myself and I intend to complete on the 21st, the place is empty and has been for a while, so I have been making periodical visits to check it is OK, and apart from the garden which is now jungle, it has been fine. However today I find that some toe rag has nicked the gas pipe that ran around two sides of the property! :mad: When I viewed the place I realised that it would probably need a new gas carcass anyway as I intend to put in a combi, but now I won't be able to use any gas appliances until this is replaced or is stopped off (It fed the cooker BTW) I intend to have a word with the EA tomorrow, but what is the best way to approach this as the plan was to exchange this week.

...As for the front garden... you could always go over it with a petrol mower if you're lucky enough to have the use of one. That's what we did this weekend after we learnt that the contracts had been exchanged. We're due to complete and move into the empty house on 22nd. No one should bother that you're hanging about - no one noticed the toe rag did they? Hehe.

Mr_Proctalgia

I have had the EA get transco to lock off the gas meter, and spoken to the vendor, we both agree that it is futile replacing the pipe till I am in the place, and he will pay for the replacement, he is also paying for a skip to get all the rubbish out of the way, so in the end it has worked out to my advantage. I was aware of the state of the place and had priced my offer accordingly. Feeling a bit happier now.

---lee---

delluver wrote:

...As for the front garden... you could always go over it with a petrol mower

I would keep well clear with a petrol mower if there's escaping gas :eek:

delluver

---lee--- wrote:

I would keep well clear with a petrol mower if there's escaping gas :eek:

Hehe, yeah, good point! Who ever heard of gas pipes on the outside? Dodgy. lol.

clutton_2

""transco to lock off the gas meter"" - phew !! thank goodness for that !!

Mr_Proctalgia

Actually it is fairly common around here for the gas pipes to be run around the outside of properties as lots have solid floors and the meters are under the stairs, so you can imagine the difficulty of getting the gas carcass around the house when the wall stringer is in the way, the old system was all run in 15mm and had a very light usage, now with the advent of combi steamers and such the need for loads of gas for short periods of time has happened and the gas needs a much "smoother" and fatter flow, but oddly enough I have been looking at an Esse Range cooker and it has a 8mm supply so perhaps things might be turning back to less gas for longer
. Either way the situation was not acceptable and needed sorting out. I have personally condemned the old gas heaters as they were ancient and I want to get a catalyst heater in the living room and they only have a 10mm feed so who knows?

I spoke to a corgi guy and he says "do not involve Transco/NatGrid as they will try to screw you for a new supply" so he has put a disk in the meter and cranked the nut on the stoplever right up and left a stopend on the carcass.
All is safe for now - And lets face it this place has been empty on a council estate for 8 months and all they have nicked is this - then its not that bad a place, anyway its gotta be my new home because its what I can afford to buy and I have got it as a cash buy. In the grand scheme of things I guess its a blip.

---lee---

Mr_Proctalgia wrote:

I have got it as a cash buy. In the grand scheme of things I guess its a blip.

Being mortgage free is not to be sniffed at - wish I was

Was the pipe removed after the meter? Just thinking, if so, I guess the meter is going to have a huge reading on it. Might be worth informing the suppliers of the situation and readings ASAP.

BTW, as contracts have been exchanged, you are responsible for insuring the house. If you've not done so already, I would arrange buildings and contents insurance immediately in case something else goes!

Best of luck with your new home.