Homebuyers report through, advice re: electrics?

Chez87

Hi all,

My homebuyers report came through yesterday and all seems well apart from one thing rated 3 regarding the electrics. Can someone explain the urgency/exact issue please? This is what they've said:

The consumer unit can be found under the stairs. Where visible, the installation 3 has been wired in plastic covered cable. When considering the lack of a test within the last 10 years you should have the system checked and tested thoroughly before occupation and use. As this is urgent you should instruct an approved electrical engineer registered with either the National Inspection Council for
Electrical Installation Contracting, (NICEIC), (https://www.niceic.com/) or with the Electrical Contractors Association, (ECA), (https://www.eca.co.uk/) to inspect and report to you before exchange of contracts.

ACG

Its more of a warning to cover their own back.
You can request they pay to have it tested or you can pay yourself, but i think pretty much every report will have a 3 next to electrics (and usually gas also) as they do not check these in a normal report.

lessonlearned

When deciphering a Homebuyer's Report and trying to determine just how urgent their recommendations are you need to ask yourself just one question.

Could the problem kill you if you ignore it.

The answer with gas and leccy is yes they can.

A surveyor does not check gas and electric supply. They are not licensed to do so. You have to have them checked independently, either before you buy or as soon as you move in.

You can ask the vendor to provide safety certificates but it is not a legal requirement for them to do so.

Personally I think it should be but there you go.

However, be warned even if you do have safety certificates there's no guarantee….

I bought a house that had a certificate for the electrics because it had been let out for 8 years. Within 2 days we had stoppages. Got them checked - £1200 to get them sorted out.

I'm afraid I do not take certificates at face value - I always get my own guys in to double check everything.

When it comes to gas and electrics it really is a case of better safe than sorry.

G_M

Chez87 wrote: »

Hi all,

The consumer unit can be found under the stairs. Where visible, the installation 3 has been wired in plastic covered cable.
Good. Now if it had been old rubber covered cable......

When considering the lack of a test within the last 10 years
Very few home-owners (5%?) have tests done.
you should have the system checked and tested thoroughly before occupation and use.
He is a surveyor not an electrician so is covering himself. That's all. he has given NO indication of a problem.
As this is urgent you should instruct an approved electrical engineer registered with either the National Inspection Council for
Electrical Installation Contracting, (NICEIC), (www.niceic.com/) or with the Electrical Contractors Association, (ECA), (www.eca.co.uk/) to inspect and report to you before exchange of contracts.

It is entirely up to you whether you want to pay an electrician to do a check. £60 or so. Your choice.

millysg1

My gut feel is they are covering themselves but I would also recommend if it hasnt been looked at for over 10 years that you should definately get an electrician in to do an inspection. Shouldnt cost too much and you could probably get the sellers to pay for it. My report told me the boiler hadnt been serviced in 5 year so i got the seller to have it serviced before we would exchange. As long as the house doesnt need a complete rewire, i shouldnt worry too much. May be if just needs a new consumer unit?
(fyi - OH is electrician)

DRP

lessonlearned wrote: »

When deciphering a Homebuyer's Report and trying to determine just how urgent their recommendations are you need to ask yourself just one question.

Could the problem kill you if you ignore it.

The answer with gas and leccy is yes they can.

A surveyor does not check gas and electric supply. They are not licensed to do so. You have to have them checked independently, either before you buy or as soon as you move in.

You can ask the vendor to provide safety certificates but it is not a legal requirement for them to do so.

Personally I think it should be but there you go.

However, be warned even if you do have safety certificates there's no guarantee….

I bought a house that had a certificate for the electrics because it had been let out for 8 years. Within 2 days we had stoppages. Got them checked - £1200 to get them sorted out.

I'm afraid I do not take certificates at face value - I always get my own guys in to double check everything.

When it comes to gas and electrics it really is a case of better safe than sorry.

Same for us.

Vendor provided a gas safety inspection certificate. When we had another gas man in to do a service a matter of weeks later, he condemned it ('at risk') for multiple issues regarding the installation and maintenance.

If you feel you need an inspection, get your own man in to do it.

googler

Chez87 wrote: »

Can someone explain the urgency/exact issue please?

The consumer unit can be found under the stairs. Where visible, the installation 3 has been wired in plastic covered cable.

That's good, that's what all electrical cable should be covered in. Some call it plastic, some call it PVC - unless the surveyor is suggesting that some non-standard type of cable has been used, but if so, he's not been very clear about it

When considering the lack of a test within the last 10 years you should have the system checked and tested thoroughly before occupation and use. As this is urgent

Why is this considered 'urgent'? I've been in my house for almost 15 years now, and I've never had the electrics 'tested'. I sold my parents' house a couple of years ago, they'd owned it since 1971, and again, there was no electrics 'tested' in all that time. Few, if any, homeowners have any regime for 'testing' their electrics regularly

you should instruct an approved electrical engineer registered with either the National Inspection Council for
Electrical Installation Contracting, (NICEIC), (https://www.niceic.com/) or with the Electrical Contractors Association, (ECA), (https://www.eca.co.uk/) to inspect and report to you before exchange of contracts.

Yes, IF you feel the need for a test, the person testing should be qualified to do so, and this is how you assess this.

I don't see that the surveyor is highlighting any particular fault. The lack of a 'test' in the last 10 years is not, of itself, a fault.

jimmy_81

Our Homebuyers Report gave a similar verdict on the electrics prior to us moving in last October - following which we decided to take the risk. Ooops...

Subsequently whilst the new central heating was being installed (Another story!) the plumbers pointed out some very worrying looking wiring under the floorboards. :eek:

Subsequently got in an electrician to check - turns out there is no main earth (!!) and the overall wiring is really not safe. Over £3.5k job for rewiring coming up

Now, in our case we're not totally distraught as the house is a bit of a project and the rewiring gives us the opportunity to reposition sockets & switches, which is quite nice... However, it's still money we'd rather not have spent.

For the sake of £60-£100 up front... I'd certainly consider getting your own electrician in to test it.

Chez87

Ok thank you everyone. So it seems getting it checked would be a very good idea. Is it worth me asking the solicitor to ask the vendor to do it? Or is the only way to pay for it myself?

drdpj

To be honest, I'd expect to pay for that myself, just as I'd pay for the survey myself. It's not up to the vendor. It's up to me to make sure I'm satisfied with what I'm buying and I'd want someone working for ME to be checking it, not someone who is working for someone else...

d.

Chez87

Ok, good shout. Thanks