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

Davesnave

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Warranty will be invalid if there hasn't been an annual service. Having spent a considerable sum on replacing our boiler a few years ago. £60 per annum maintaining it seemed a small price to pay.

Good point. Some boilers are now guaranteed for 7 years on main parts, and things like oil tanks, for those of us who use them, for 10 years.

In the case of tanks, an inspection annually to keep the warranty valid is essential. It doesn't amount to much, except a tick on the service card, but it's still needed.

And for those who think tanks don't fail in this day & age, Google 'Titan tank warranty problem.'

Davesnave

marleyboy wrote: »

we now live here with complete satisfaction that it was a good buy.

Good for you.

The advice to first time buyers on this forum is usually, 'buy the worst house on the best street,' which supports the argument that initial problems with a property are irrelevant compared with location and development potential.

But if someone never intends to move, or change the property at more than a surface level, then that advice becomes less important.

spirit

chile_paul wrote: »

The post that I had replied to had indicated that the plumber had originally condemned the boiler but had then (in their words) bodged it to allow the sale to proceed.

If the boiler had been condemned (and I appreciate that given the poster wasn't present this may have been miscommunicated or misunderstood) this indicates that the appliance was Immediately Dangerous. Quoting the Gas Safe website:

"An “immediately dangerous” installation is one which, if operated or left connected to a gas supply, is considered to be an immediate danger to life or property.

The installation will be disconnected, with your permission, and must not be used until the necessary work has been carried out to repair the defect(s). If you continue to use an immediately dangerous installation you could be putting you or your family’s lives in danger."

If indeed the plumber had then agreed to "bodge" the situation to help the sale go through - he should be reported and deserves everything that gets thrown at him…….

Anyway, appreciate we're well off the track of the OP's original post now and none of us were there when the plumber actually provided the advice now so I'll shut up

This house had been empty for months when I bought it. I spoke with my solicitor about it and she said that I had a case against the seller as they had ticked the box on the PIF saying that the boiler was in good working order - which was incorrect. Had he still been UK resident and not living overseas, I would have gone after him on that basis.

cattermole

MobileSaver wrote: »

Do you have your electrics checked every year too?

See my thread re electrics are recommended to be checked every 10 years.

Gas boilers are not its a simple fact they need an annual service and the majority of the service is safety checks. It is absolutely no guarantee of a future breakdown. We have had our boilers annual service done even though our house had sold STC a few weeks before it was due, never occurred to us not to.

MobileSaver

cattermole wrote: »

its a simple fact they need an annual service

Really?!? It is a fact that they need an annual service?

What is the evidence of this "fact"? Is there legislation saying so? Do manufacturers fit a timer so the boiler stops working if not serviced annually?

As many people are killed every year by "electrocution at home" as they are by faulty boilers... so why don't you have your electrics checked every year too?

marksoton

MobileSaver wrote: »

Really?!? It is a fact that they need an annual service?

What is the evidence of this "fact"? Is there legislation saying so? Do manufacturers fit a timer so the boiler stops working if not serviced annually?

As many people are killed every year by "electrocution at home" as they are by faulty boilers... so why don't you have your electrics checked every year too?

No there isn't. But as a boiler has working parts and electrics essentially don't i know which i'd be more wary of.

I'd wager far more people have to have a boiler replaced each year than have to rewire a property. The comparison is ridiculous.

As for fatality rates, you can't account for idiocy...

MobileSaver

marksoton wrote: »

No there isn't. But as a boiler has working parts and electrics essentially don't i know which i'd be more wary of.

Exactly, you've been brain-washed into thinking faulty boilers are the work of the devil and a huge risk to life and limb.

Yes, there is a risk that a faulty boiler could cause harm or death but the risk is incredibly small. You say you are "more wary" of boilers but in fact the figures prove that you should be just as wary of faulty electrics.

And you should be far more wary of being around water (four times as many people die from accidental drowning in the UK than from faulty boilers) and indeed of eating anything as every year three times as many people choke to death on something they've eaten than die from a faulty boiler...

Almost everything we do has some risk and everyone has different attitudes to towards risk but the original suggestion by cattermole that boilers must be serviced every year was simply nonsense.

marksoton

MobileSaver wrote: »

Exactly, you've been brain-washed into thinking faulty boilers are the work of the devil and a huge risk to life and limb.

Yes, there is a risk that a faulty boiler could cause harm or death but the risk is incredibly small. You say you are "more wary" of boilers but in fact the figures prove that you should be just as wary of faulty electrics.

And you should be far more wary of being around water (four times as many people die from accidental drowning in the UK than from faulty boilers) and indeed of eating anything as every year three times as many people choke to death on something they've eaten than die from a faulty boiler...

Almost everything we do has some risk and everyone has different attitudes to towards risk but the original suggestion by cattermole that boilers must be serviced every year was simply nonsense.

I haven't, you misunderstand me. I've no fear of a boiler causing me harm. But i do consider it far more likely to cost me money. As i said i bet far more people each year have costs related to boilers than they do electrics. So to compare the two is pointless.

However i do agree with your comments on water. Working in the industry it amazes me how contractors / the public underestimate it compared to gas and electric.

xxxnardixxx

Hi im i am in process of buying and our solicitor has requested same to seller. It is a reasonable request, but if you dont want to service boiler than i personally would reduce offer and assume boiler is faulty and will need replacing. So i gave seller those 2 choices and for sake of £80 they decided to service boiler. Personally im only interested in boiler being in working condition as described. If i was selling a house i would service boiler ready for prospective buyer.