House Purchase - Electrics Check?

topcatz1

Hi,

I am purchasing a 1920s property that has been fairly recently renovated including a loft conversion. I've had the homebuyers survey and nothing specific has been picked up on the electrics but is it worth getting an electrician to check everything out?

Extract from the report below.

' There is a relatively modern main consumer unit and other observed wiring and
fittings appear to be of mixed age, suggesting partial rewiring in the past.
Alterations will have occurred in connection with the loft conversion and some
elements may now require upgrading. See J3'

Thanks in advance

I_have_spoken

is it worth getting an electrician to check everything out?

Doubt it. There's bound to be aspects of the wiring that don't conform to latest specs, but that goes for 95% of the houses in UK.

If you have a modern consumer unit with RCD trips you're good to go IMHO. So long as there's no brass switches and round-pin 5-amp plugs, I'd be happy.

yorkshire_terrier_owner

When I bought my house earlier this year I decided not to have an electrical report - similarly nothing had come up about it in the homebuyers except recommendation to get them checked. However, I knew from talking to the vendor that the consumer unit had been replaced recently and that kitchen had been rewired when it was refitted. When I moved in I had my electrician in to add some plug sockets and got him to test it then and all fine. For me though, the electrics were not a deal breaker as I was moving to my forever home, so wherever I moved to would need a rewire at some point, whether now or in 20 years.......

ValHaller

I_have_spoken wrote: »

Doubt it. There's bound to be aspects of the wiring that don't conform to latest specs, but that goes for 95% of the houses in UK.

If you have a modern consumer unit with RCD trips you're good to go IMHO. So long as there's no brass switches and round-pin 5-amp plugs, I'd be happy.

You are conflating 2 issues here.

Yes, it is very likely that the wiring will not in its entirety conform to modern electrical standards. But equally, wiring generally only has to conform to the IEE regs at the time it was installed.

But the main reason to inspect is not to ensure compliance with modern standards, it is to establish whether there has been deterioration giving rise to danger. Yes, there will be some things where you will have recommendations to bring things up to modern standards - eg equipotential bonding and replacement of switchgear with fused neutrals for example.

The judgement as to whether to have a full inspection depends very much on the individual property and your plans for it. A 1920's property with fittings of mixed age - eg brown bakelite, never mind brass or round pin plugs - is an indicator. But on the other hand, If like YTO you know that you will be doing serious work, then perhaps you need not go to the trouble.

ValHaller

PositiveNRG wrote: »

An electrical condition report is a full test of all circuits and equipment. It is a realistic, honest and independent report of what needs to be done, what is safe and what isn't. They are usual around a hundred quid as it has to be recorded and a copy is sent to local authority by the spark, can get them free at the moment if buying a house in west yorks

Really? Tell us more.

ValHaller

PositiveNRG wrote: »

Don't want to mention too much and break the rules but you can find it on gumtree under electricians west yorks. Every month a new deal is posted, a while ago they had free smoke alarm servicing for families and oap's now its targeting landlords and home buyers. hope it helps.

No, not that. Your notion that the electrical condition report has to be sent to the local authority.