is a rewiring automatically required?

Alana2013

We are in the process of buying a house built in 1983. The home report states that it recommends the electrics are checked as it's the original system and fuse box.

I only considered re wiring necessary in a much older house and was only expecting to have to replace the fuse box.

Does anyone know if a house of this age should require a complete rewire?

anselld

Rewiring is not automatic, but at 30+ years it will be approaching end of life. If it has not been hacked about DIY and it tests OK you might get more life from it but the time will come ... insulation etc doesn't last for ever.

jjlandlord

A recommendation that the electrics be checked (which home reports always make) does not suggest or imply that a rewiring will be required.

bris

It may be no where near the end of it's life, you may well get another 50 years out of it, not meeting the current standards does not mean it's bad.

A home report will always flag up these things to cover their bases.

Alana2013

Thanks for the replies. Its a bit of a relief. We are obviously getting the electrics checked but I was suprised to read that it would need upgrading. It's been flagged as a 2 on the report.

Propertyauthor

To be honest I always recommend a gas and electrical check by a competent person (Gas Safe registered engineer and an electrician cleared for Part P work such as a NAPIT electrician) before you buy.

However it 'looks' good or bad, you never know and either would cost thousands of pounds to fix, so for the sake of a few hundred pounds, please make sure you and the property is safe.

Legally a let property has to have an annual gas safe certificate and although a little confusing, electrics should generally be checked every five years and visual checks when a tenant leaves.

I never quite understand why successive governments only worry about tenants and don't seem to care too much if homeowners live in an unsafe property.

jjlandlord

If the property has a fuse box it may be a good idea to take the opportunity of moving in to replace it with a modern consumer unit without fuses and with RCDs.

I'd say it would cost approx. £300 inc. parts and take between half day and a day. The electrician would have to check all the circuits and sockets as part of the work.

Perhaps you could contact a couple of electricians to discuss the electrics and to quote.

G_M

Alana2013 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. Its a bit of a relief. We are obviously getting the electrics checked...

The electrical report will state it does not "comply with current standards".

Few properties do unless they are newly built as the standards change. There is no legal requirement to update, so make sure your elecrtricians highlights things that are actually dangerous, rather than just to non-current standards.

Alana2013

G_M wrote: »

The electrical report will state it does not "comply with current standards".

Few properties do unless they are newly built as the standards change. There is no legal requirement to update, so make sure your elecrtricians highlights things that are actually dangerous, rather than just to non-current standards.

We will do. I personally would like a new fuse box fitted anyway though but I just need to know if it's all safe for the next 5 years. With three young kids we won't br taking any chances.

having worked with gas engineers in the past, I had to explain to customers that a not to current standard notice didn't mean they needed a new boiler but that the standards are always being updated. I take it electrics are the same.

AdrianC

Part P means that changing the consumer unit (the modern term for what used to be called a fuse box) requires the entire house installation to be tested and certified. In practice, that'll almost certainly mean a rewire.

The current regs - 17th edition - were released in '08 and updated in '11.

knightstyle

I agree with jjlandlord Have the electrics checked and change the Distribution board for a new one with MCBs in place of fuses and RCD protection. Do not worry too much if the inspector states the installation does not comply with the latest regs. Cable colours alone will cause this.