Warranty Transfers

middlecat

Hello,

Just a quick question please.

Is there a convention on who pays to transfer existing warranties for various things (e.g. damp proofing fixes, appliances, roof fixes etc.)

Also, would the transfers only happens after exchange or completion?

Thank you!

G_M

By negotiation.

Don't see how it could happen before the ownership of the property changes hands.

hcb42

I've never paid, although in the case of damp proof in particular, most companies dont even stay in business long enough to honour a transfer..

middlecat

I see, so there is no convention.

I have added up the fees and it comes to just under £200. I may pay for this if the vendor takes off some money for the works that need to be done!

Richard_Webster

You really have to check whether each "warranty" is worth having.

Many such businesses stop trading so having a transfer of "warranty" is often a waste of time and money.

If it is limited company the you can go to http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/d5cc37358cdf613e1933ef0da14cdd26/wcframe?name=accessCompanyInfo to find the registered office and if it is still trading. If it is not on the list of "Current/Recent;ly Dissolved Names" then it could be on the list of "Dissolved Names".

If it isn't a limited company and there is no "limited" in the name and it simply trading as something like "Whizzo Damp-proofing" then it would be an individual or partnership using that trading name and you would have to find them - would you know where they are?

middlecat

Hi Richard, I have called up all the companies providing the warranties and they are all still in business.

I have the following warranties (transfer fees in brackets):

Kiltox Damp Proofing (£96) - expires March 2036
Oaks Damp Proofing (£35) - expires January 2026
Everest Windows and Doors (£50) - general guarantee expires August 2014; fogging/condensation guarantee expires August 2024

Gleeful

We didn't pay anything for a transfer....didn't even know you had to. The only warranty we were given was for the damp proof course and it's actually failed anyway, the workman agreed prior to us buying the house that he would sort it for us regardless of whose name was on the guarantee. He should be coming next week.

Richard_Webster

Middlecat - did the damp proofing companies replaster? The most common problem to come up later relates to the plaster where a surveyor may find symptoms which suggest damp.

People call the damp proofing company back and they have a look and say it's the plaster and they didn't do that, so the warranty is useless.

middlecat

Richard_Webster wrote: »

Middlecat - did the damp proofing companies replaster? The most common problem to come up later relates to the plaster where a surveyor may find symptoms which suggest damp.

People call the damp proofing company back and they have a look and say it's the plaster and they didn't do that, so the warranty is useless.

Richard - the two damp proofing companies seem to have done the plastering too.