Solicitor making mountains?

Sticky77

Can anyone tell me if this sounds OTT please.
Our buyers solicitors have picked up that the radiator in the conservatory doesn't have an isolation valve from the rest of the house. It can be shut off at the rad so u dont heat the conservatort but u cant do this from the inside of the house if that makes sense. They wNt the buyer to take out an insurance policy for this?!
To me alarm bells are ringing that they are just making money and more work.
Anyone heard if this before?
The conservatory was built with planning permission in 2000 and I bought the property in 2006. None of this was raised then.
Thank u for shedding any light on this. We are happy to add the valves before completion.

evoke

It's a freezing hazard if you've got a rad in the conservatory during icy spells. It could cause the feed or return pipe to freeze and then burst, or the rad itself to stress under temperature cycling and develop a leak. You should have an isolation valve on any pipework into a conservatory.

Rads in a conservatory are a particularly bad idea for this reason and also virtually all of the heat they generate will simply escape through through the glass.

evoke

And I also think that rads in a conservatory don't comply with current building regulations.

Sticky77

Thanks evoke I will check this out when I have access to it.

DVardysShadow

Sticky77 wrote: »

Our buyers solicitors have picked up that the radiator in the conservatory doesn't have an isolation valve from the rest of the house. It can be shut off at the rad so u dont heat the conservatort but u cant do this from the inside of the house if that makes sense. They wNt the buyer to take out an insurance policy for this?!

You have to be really stupid to suggest an insurance policy when isolation valves are required. But that is what happens when solicitors start pontificating on pipework.

Yorkie1

DVardysShadow wrote: »

You have to be really stupid to suggest an insurance policy when isolation valves are required. But that is what happens when solicitors start pontificating on pipework.

I tend to agree, but the solicitor is probably pontificating as a result of a surveyor's comment, and the buyer will want this resolving.

I've no idea how much it will cost to fix a valve but it does seem the easiest way forward if not too expensive.

evoke

Should be 30 minutes of work for a decent plumber to fit a couple of decent isolation valves - the positioning of these is very important - they need to be inside the main property close to where the conservatory starts.

The indemnity insurance is a standard request as the plumbing does not meet current building regulations.

As an aside, underfloor heating is a much better method of heating conservatory.

Sticky77

That's cool thank u. It just seemed over the top but I understand now.
Theoretically, If we removed the rad would that solve the prob?
Thanks again

evoke

Sticky77 wrote: »

That's cool thank u. It just seemed over the top but I understand now.
Theoretically, If we removed the rad would that solve the prob?
Thanks again

Not really no, unless you maintained a heating system in the conservatory.

alistairstubbs

I have had the same problem. After a little investigation with Building Control it appears that there was a change to Building Regs in October 2010 requiring this if yours was built before then then it is not necessary. I got an email from them to confirm this and sent it on to my Buyers solicitor which they were happy with.

G_M

OTT.

If the buyers are worried, pay a plumber £30 after they move in to fit valves. God people get their knickers in a twist about everything these days!