3weeks to completion now boiler issues!!!

Jessbrooks24

Advice would be most appreciated...

We are first time buyers and have a completion date of 3 weeks away. We have not yet exchange contracts as our solicitor was waiting to Recieved the gas safety certificate. This has just been recieved and it looks like there is an issue with the boiler as it says the boiler is cutting out with it suspected to be overheating?

When we viewed the property the seller showed us around, he said the boiler was over 10 years old but had been fully serviced and is in good working order.

Our solicitor is going to get in touch with theirs but I was hoping for a bit of advice from some others. Being first time buyers we have already stretched our budget saving for our deposit and forking out for a new boiler wasn't on our list of things to fix just yet, although with the age we were aware it would need replacing in the future.

I'm guessing this is for the current owners to fix? Will they be required to replace the boiler?

Thanks Jess x

Alter_ego

Gas safety certificates are for rented property. However a private owner can have one if they wish. There is no need for solicitor to wait. You can try to renegotiate the price, but don't expect the vendor to roll over.

The current owner is under no obligation to fix anything, it's all down to negotiation.

djedga

Maybe see if the vendors are willing to get the repair done so it's sorted before you exchange (via your solicitors), or try to negotiate the price as Alter Ego says?

We are currently in the process of selling and had an issue with the flue to our boiler highlighted on the last service done about a year ago - I won't bore you with the specifics but a new flue was probably required this year.

When we sent the paperwork into our solicitors we held off on the boiler service report until we had the latest service and remedial work done so as to avoid any issues this may cause closer to exchange and completion. We sent the report/safety cert in a couple of days later but the buyers have the benefit of proof of a very recent service and not having to cover the cost of the work required.

We were not obligated to do so, and maybe it's just me, but I felt this was the right thing to do rather than surprise them with the issue and potentially hold up the chain in the process.