FTB - Flueing failed safety check

brixtonian

Can I get some advice please. I've had an offer accepted on a property (yay!) but the latest boiler check was deemed to have unsafe flueing. The reason given by the boiler engineer was "flueing too close to combustable material (NCS)".

I pushed for further information from the vendor and got the following back (paraphrased):

"Eon advised the flue does not meet current regulations, but it was installed before they came into force. Therefore remedial action will only be required to adjust the location of the flue if and when a new boiler is installed. Accordingly, no remedial action will be taken."

I have two concerns:

1) if the flue is deemed to be unsafe, then shouldn't it be fixed sooner rather than later?

2) buying a property which has an unsafe flue and possible issues (such as now) when/if it comes to selling.

What to do? I'm thinking either get the vendor to remediate and safety checked again, or renegotiate the offer taking into account a new boiler. (Current one is around 15years old)

G_M

brixtonian wrote: »

Can I get some advice please. I've had an offer accepted on a property (yay!) but the latest boiler check was deemed to have unsafe flueing. The reason given by the boiler engineer was "flueing too close to combustable material (NCS)".

I pushed for further information from the vendor and got the following back (paraphrased):

"Eon advised the flue does not meet current regulations, but it was installed before they came into force. Therefore remedial action will only be required to adjust the location of the flue if and when a new boiler is installed. Accordingly, no remedial action will be taken."

I have two concerns:

1) if the flue is deemed to be unsafe, then shouldn't it be fixed sooner rather than later?

2) buying a property which has an unsafe flue and possible issues (such as now) when/if it comes to selling.

What to do?

Buildings Regulations change regularly. As a result, 1000s of properties all over the country which met the regulations when they were built (or when the boiler for example, was installed) do not meet current standards (since they may well have changed).

There is no requirement to constantly update every property each time the regs change.

If you buy the house, and want your home to meet current standards, then fine, pay to upgrade.

In my own case (I own a house build in 1850), I would have to knock it down and start again as the foundations are too shallow for current Building Regulations. You may be unsurprised to hear I have no plans to do this!

cattie

As GM mentions, regulations regarding gas installations along with electricals/building regs change pretty regularly & what is installed today may well fail on updated regs in say 3-6 months time.

If I were the vendor, I'd not be willing to install a new boiler or have remedial work done to one that is it in full working order, nor reduce the accepted price by the amount required to install a new one as there is just no need for it.


When I bought my last house I had pretty similar comments to those you've had regarding the boiler & that boiler was 18yrs old. My only concern was that it was in working order & really that's all you need to concern yourself with.

Don't make the house buying process more stressful & complicated for yourself than it needs to be by worrying about things unnecessarily.

brixtonian

Thank you for the very helpful replies....I'll carry on with the purchase in that case

MysteryMe

My boiler flue does not met current building regs. I have the boiler serviced every year and it's perfectly safe. I stand to be corrected but I believe if the installation was deemed dangerous the gas people would shut the supply down.