urgen advice needed, please help!

Debt_Free_Chick

Nicolelg wrote: »

The electrics weren't reflected in the price

How do you know?

Debt_Free_Chick

Doozergirl wrote: »

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=364507

Ours are 32 years old. We've had them inspected and had a new MCB (? ) or sommat to replace old wired fuses. But three electricians have said that there's no need to rewire

I think there's a difference between between "what must be done" and "what should be done to be absolutely squeaky clean". Only time will tell if we've done the right thing or not ... but given sufficient time, I guess we'll be in the "the wiring MUST be replaced" bracket anyway :rotfl:

paddy's_mum

OP has already said that an electrician stated that the 35 year old wiring is in a "poor and unsafe state". I have lived through a house fire caused solely by a failure of the wiring in an immersion heater. It is not a situation I want ever to experience again in my lifetime.

OP may not have the time to live with the house for a while and do things as money can be afforded. They may not live long enough!!!

My personal opinion, OP, is that I wouldn't touch this house with a barge pole unless the seller discounts enough for you to be able to afford the necessary rewire the moment the property becomes yours. Others may disagree but is your desire to have this house great enough to possibly risk your life in obtaining it?

silvercar

All depends on how much you want the place. Whereas you can say that the electrics need attention, you can't claim that the resulting redecoration needed has to ben done straight away.

An electrician advised me to replace the main RCD. He said that once you replaced that it should "trip" if there is damaged wiring in specific areas that you can then sort.

If you have been advised its unsafe, you will have to deal with it for your own peace of mind and from an insurance point of view. Though do bear in mind that there is a tendancy for electricians to recomend rewiring, damp specialists recomend damp course replacement etc.

In general, there is no reason to assume that you won't be able to enjoy a house in exactly the same way as the previous occupants; houses don't change because their owners do.

Nicolelg

thanks for all your advice. It's worth noting that the second opinion came form an electrician friend with no vested interest who said if he'd have done the report he'd have put it as full rewire.

The actual electrician who conducted the report said that it's £2k of remedial work for safety reasons now but it will continue to need work and a rewire in a few years so obviously, it seems daft to spend £2k now and then 3 or 4k a few years later (although our wallets would thank us short-term!) We spoke to another friend who's son's an electrician tonight (again not living near us so couldn't do work) who saw the report and said that he would also have recommend a full rewire on the basis of the work that needs doing.

So, in short, looks like we're going to have to take this option. As Paddy's mum said, it's dangerous leaving it as it is and if we're having to spend £2k anyway, we may as well take a loan for a larger amount and get peace of mind, I'm just gutted the vendor isn't prepared to help as we're genuinely not hyping up the situation and we've virtually paid asking price as it is...

Doozergirl

The surveyor wouldn't know exactly how much it would cost and I completely agree that there is no way I would spend £2k on 'remedial work' without doing the full rewire which costs, well, not that much more! I certainly wouldn't fancy decorating again It might be that it would be reasonable to get the vendor to go halves with you - I would expect them to co-operate tbh.

It has to be a partial rewire at that cost, can't be much else, so while you wouldn't have to do the whole lot again in a few years, I bet when you sell, it's highlighted that some parts of the electrical wiring are better than others.

I certainly don't agree that the problem is solved by a new fuse box, especially when you've see the sort of rubbish that people and their cowboy sparkies piece together over the years.

nobblyned

Originally Posted by Nicolelg
"The electrics weren't reflected in the price"

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

How do you know?

You make an offer based on what you can see. If the surveyor finds something that you didn't see then it's normal to try and renegotiate as you didn't take it into account when you made your initial offer.

If the dodgy electrics ahd been reflected in the price, it would have been wise for the vendor to say this, then any offer would be made in this knowledge with no grounds for renegotiation.