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Gas pipe problem stalling house purchase

We are in the process of buying a 1900s terraced house, it has to be this one as its next door to my ageing parents and we want to be able to keep an eye on them.

We've been told that the boiler is connected to 15mm pipe and it should be 22mm. The vendors say the boiler works fine and has been serviced regularly but they have no Gas Cert as the pipe doesn't conform to new regs. A new pipe would mean taking up the kitchen floor and possibly fitting new kitchen cabinets. The vendors won't do this, and we probably couldn't afford to.

Our solicitors says we cannot accept the lack of certificate. Where do we go from here? I'm worried its all going to fall through. Properties are selling in days here in Reading and the vendor could easily sell to someone else, but we're only interested in this house.

Any ideas/advice welcome.
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Comments

  • Dan-Dan
    Dan-Dan Posts: 5,279 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Is your sols REALLY saying you CANNOT proceed?
    Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
  • rosyw
    rosyw Posts: 519 Forumite
    PPI Party Pooper
    If it's the mains supply pipe which is causing the problems then I'm fairly sure this would be down to the supplier to sort out, not yourselves or the current owner, at least this was the case with a couple a few doors down from me, Centrica replaced the pipe free of charge.
    You don't NEED a safety cert. in order to buy the place, so don't understand why your solicitor is saying not to proceed!
  • Gill420
    Gill420 Posts: 11 Forumite
    Our solicitor says the lack of cert is unacceptable.

    The pipe is from the meter under the stairs to the boiler in the kitchen and also (I think) supplies gas to the hob. I've only had electric-only properties before this so I'm a bit hazy. The pipe goes under the floor underneath a run of kitchen cabinets.

    I'm assuming the pipework will be a problem to us when we need to replace the boiler, or if we come to sell in the future.
  • silvercar
    silvercar Posts: 49,936 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Academoney Grad Name Dropper
    I doubt many people supply gas certificates for supply pipes.
    I'm a Forum Ambassador on the housing, mortgages & student money saving boards. I volunteer to help get your forum questions answered and keep the forum running smoothly. Forum Ambassadors are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an illegal or inappropriate post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com (it's not part of my role to deal with this). Any views are mine and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.com.
  • jackomdj
    jackomdj Posts: 3,073 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    I doubt your solicitor would tell you not to buy as a lot of people buy houses to do up.

    However as I see it you have several options:
    Refuse to exchange until these works are completed (unlikely to happen)
    Negotiate a reduced price (depends how desperate the seller is to sell)
    Buy regardless and live with it or do the works when you have the cash.
    Pull out.

    Quick question. Have your parents had this work done on theirs and do they have certificates? How much did this work cost them?
  • lincroft1710
    lincroft1710 Posts: 19,090 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Gill420 wrote: »
    Our solicitor says the lack of cert is unacceptable.

    15mm was the diameter for gas piping, it is now 22mm or even 28mm. Your solicitor is being cautious but usually the only "certificate" that would be issued would be by Building Control following the approved installation of a new boiler.

    A 15mm pipe may cause problems when you have to replace the boiler.
    If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales
  • WestonDave
    WestonDave Posts: 5,154 Forumite
    Rampant Recycler
    2 potential things happening here - your solicitors advice might be that you don't proceed without the certificate however you are free to ignore that advice (you would probably need to acknowledge the advice in writing and state that you wish to proceed regardless). Alternatively your lender may be insisting on the certificate as a condition of proceeding to ensure the asset they are lending on is marketable in the future. The latter is harder to deal with unless you find a new mortgage with a lender with different policies. First up you need to find out which of the two applies! Call to solicitors time!
    Adventure before Dementia!
  • Annie1960
    Annie1960 Posts: 3,009 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    It sounds like the solicitor is probably covering him or herself in case you buy the house and then have problems when the boiler needs to be replaced.

    Ultimately it is your decision, as set out in post no. 6.
  • Gill420
    Gill420 Posts: 11 Forumite
    edited 6 June 2014 at 3:03PM
    Thanks jackomdj. Guess we could to try negotiating - another delay to an excruciatingly long process.

    Thanks for the other advice too. If we don't have to have the safety certificate, then the solicitor is just a***covering, as you say. The boiler is only 5 years old and has been regularly serviced.

    My parents have all electric so no clues there unfortunately. As our previous properties have been all electric, gas is a bit of a mystery to me - hence the uncertainty.
  • Dan-Dan
    Dan-Dan Posts: 5,279 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I cant think that the lender is concerned on it`s security that when the time comes for a new boiler the OP`s house wont suddenly have the value to cover the mortgage outstanding!

    It will be a bind upgrading the pipe to 22 or 28 but there is thousands of properties out there in the same boat
    Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
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