Buyer requesting we service our boiler prior to exchange - reasonable?

Slouching_wolf

Hi,

Had a request come through from our solicitor from our buyers solicitor asking us if we would be prepared to get someone to service our boiler before exchange of contracts. We haven't had this done in about 4 years.

Is this request expected and reasonable, or should we ask them to pay for it if they want it doing?

Thanks in advance

GoldenShadow

I would say this depends on a lot of things. Like how much you 'need' these buyers. From their view, I guess they don't want to buy a house with a dud boiler. In my view (as a FTB), as pessimistic as it sounds, I expect the boiler to probably be naff in whatever house I buy. But where we are, property moves so fast you would get told to jog on if you asked for much.

G_M

There are 2 possible motives:

1) to save them the cost of a service for 12+ months. this is unreasonable.

2) to find out if the boiler is safe/in good condition. A 'service' may not establish the latter, and anyway, if that's what they want, then just as they pay for a building survey to check the building they should pay for their own boiler inspection (electrics, damp, drains etc). so unreasonable.

marleyboy

When we bought this house we made it a condition of sale. It very nearly fell through as they had not "got around to it". They arranged it once we made it clear that without a service we would pull out. It was far too great a risk for us as a faulty boiler could cost a fortune to fix.

G_M

marleyboy wrote: »

When we bought this house we made it a condition of sale. It very nearly fell through as they had not "got around to it". They arranged it once we made it clear that without a service we would pull out. It was far too great a risk for us as a faulty boiler could cost a fortune to fix.

Good grief! If it was so important to you why didn't you pay your own engineer to inspect?

As a seller I would not have agreed, but as always in these deals it depends who is more desperate for the deal to proceed: buyer or seller.

marleyboy

Obviously it must have been the seller. Particularly as I was in no big hurry to buy. Maybe they should not have mentioned having it serviced as part of the deal.

Slouching_wolf

Thanks for the replies.

I don't know what the motive is for having this done. This is what our sols sent to us in an email yesterday;

As there is no up to date service record for the boiler, the buyer has requested that you have the boiler serviced, and provide a copy of the inspection report, prior to exchange of contracts. Are you prepared to do this?

Still in two minds!

geri1965_2

It only costs about £50.

HB58

We are in the process of selling a property (probate sale) and have just been asked to get boiler serviced/inspected. It was actually done earlier this year but I'm not sure what happened to the paperwork (lots of people in/out of the property at that time).

EA says that this is usual.

Whatever, it's not worth arguing so we will get it done.

bigfreddiel

Art_Contrary wrote: »

If it was me buying, I think I'd rather pay for an inspection. It isn't fair to ask the vendor to pay for something that you're potentially going to use to renegotiate price/retract your offer.

Presumably the service will be good, so no comeback for the buyer to complain.

Basically, either do it, or don't do it and risk the sale failing through and start the selling process again.

So if you don't mind the risk of starting again, you will have a bill from your solicitor for work done so far, presumably far larger than a biller service.

You haven't had a service in four years. It should be done annually, the cost of that is offset by the boiler running more efficiently and burning less fuel.

Cheers fj

phill99

From their point of view it really is a pointless exercise. The boiler could be serviced, but the following day the heat exchanger could go, the pump fail or the PCB go.

I wouldn't have it done.