Electrics on Home Buyer Survey

ruggedtoast

amihohu wrote: »

Hi all,

I am in the process of buying my first house, I have had the home buyers survey back and the two '3's' marked down (things they deem serious/need to be repaired urgently) are to do with the electrics and gas.

For the gas, the surveyor states there is a lack of a recent test certificate (within 12 months) for the gas supply and appliances. The vendor has said she can get a certificate for the boiler. Would that be enough to cover any potential problems do you think? I should add, it's a 1953 house, but fairly modern and part extended, so not a complete refurb job or anything. It does have a gas fire, but I will most likely be taking that out anyway.

The other 3 was with the electrics, with the surveyor having this to say:

'The consumer unit (fuse box) has no proper safety protection devices fitted. A new consumer unit should be installed along with associated rewiring. Not in compliance with up-to-date regulations.'

The vendor hasn't commented on this at all really, she has said she's done no rewiring work and hasn't replaced the fuse box since she's been there (7 years). I am trying to work out whether we should get an electrician in now, to check whether this is going to be a rewiring job, or if it is likely to just be a new fuse box. Basically I am a bit unclear what the 'associated rewiring' may entail!

Thanks!

There really isn't much point paying a surveyor to do a survey if you aren't going to follow their advice. If they say to get an electrician / gas safe engineer in then do so. It's up to you to decide whether you or the vendor will pay to it.

Our house had a similar recommendation for electrics. We sent an electrician we trusted and discovered that as well as having an out of date CU, the prior owner had also been a DIY Dan and bodged a whole range of circuits, as well as removing the earths from everything.

It was very unsafe and I made sure it was fixed before we moved in.