Quit everything , and start again over 50?

lessonlearned

another_casualty wrote: »

Thanks folks .:)
I'd better let solicictor know that I won't need to have electrics and gas tested . I did say that my boiler was serviced by an aquaintance last year .
Mates rates , no paperwork .

Double slap on the wrist!!!

Never ever ever do that again. It's just not worth the risk.

You need that paperwork.......both for selling and if you ever need to make an insurance claim.

For example .......if a boiler breaks down whilst under guarantee you have to demonstrate that it has been serviced regularly, this means documentation ......i.e. Your service booklet must be stamped. (Just like a car). If you don't do this then your guarantee is deemed null and void.

It doesn't matter even if the friend is qualified and charging mates rates as a personal favour, you still need documentation to support that the work has been done,

The reason you were charged "mates rates" is because they were working "under the radar", probably to avoid VAT and/or income tax.

That might be ok for work that doesn't require certificates or building regs - they can get away with accepting cash and not declaring it.

However, you can't get away with it for work that requires certificates. You have to be prepared to pay the full professional rate so it can all be documented and above board.

another_casualty

True smodlet . Electricians ( and most of the building trade ), are hard to find . Me being too polite , said' I will get electrician and documentation , if required .' Me being too nice and accommodating again .
I guess my solicitor will tell me not to bother . So , I won't say anything unless asked . I have a copy of the full report ( questionnaire etc) from my previous sellers . Made it easier to answer some of the questions I omitted or answered incorrectly .

anna_1977

You may find they want the boiler serviced, in which case do it. Personally as a buyer I would want to know it was serviced regularly so there's less chance of having any nasty surprises like a new boiler!

another_casualty

lessonlearned wrote: »

Double slap on the wrist!!!

Never ever ever do that again. It's just not worth the risk.

You need that paperwork.......both for selling and if you ever need to make an insurance claim.

For example .......if a boiler breaks down whilst under guarantee you have to demonstrate that it has been serviced regularly, this means documentation ......i.e. Your service booklet must be stamped. (Just like a car). If you don't do this then your guarantee is deemed null and void.

It doesn't matter even if the friend is qualified and charging mates rates as a personal favour, you still need documentation to support that the work has been done,

The reason you were charged "mates rates" is because they were working "under the radar", probably to avoid VAT and/or income tax.

That might be ok for work that doesn't require certificates or building regs - they can get away with accepting cash and not declaring it.

However, you can't get away with it for work that requires certificates. You have to be prepared to pay the full professional rate so it can all be documented and above board.

Oops!:) Too honest for my own good . My solicitor will wince .
Hopefully , I've got away with it , this time .
Thanks LL

another_casualty

anna_1977 wrote: »

You may find they want the boiler serviced, in which case do it. Personally as a buyer I would want to know it was serviced regularly so there's less chance of having any nasty surprises like a new boiler!

You're right Anna
I'd better get Booker serviced , very soon .
It's an old potterton myson , but is still very good and even the person doing the Epc , said they were superior to a lot of the ones. that are made now .

lessonlearned

Ps. Just for information for the future.

THere is a big difference between a gas safety check and a full service for a gas boiler or gas fire.

A gas safety check takes about 15 minutes and will tell you whether the gas supply is ok (point of entry to the property) and that the appliance is safe to use. It will not ensure that the appliance is not about to break down. A boiler can pass a gas safety check and then die shortly afterwards.

A service requires that the appliance is stripped down, cleaned, worn parts replaced, pressure tested and reset etc. They will also check the supply. This should take at least an hour. The service engineer will be able to gauge the condition of the appliance and advise whether or not you should consider replacing it.

Further remember that a safety check does not comply with the appliance's guarantee requirements, only a full service carried out according to the terms of the guarantee does. A full service should be carried out at 1 year intervals,

As a house owner you dont need both, you don't need a seperate gas safety check. The full service will be sufficient.

A landlord needs both.

another_casualty

Thanks LL
So, if I just ask for my boiler to have a yearly service , that should be sufficient ?
Sorry to sound so dumb

lessonlearned

Anna. Now I know I might appear a bit OCD here but even if I buy a property which has a full service history for the boiler, I still get my guy to do a complete check for me.

Same with electrics.......

Believe me I have found some shockers - literally:eek: Electrics that are just not safe.

My sons both bought their first houses. Immediately we had my guy round to check out the heating systems.

With both my sons houses the boilers were "ok" but a "bit long in the tooth" as he put it. We decided to replace them. My guy - like all good tradespeople never advertises and is Always booked months in Advance.

DS1 was booked for a full replacement system - three weeks before it could be done the whole lot went. WE had to cut off the supply and he was without hot water or heat until my guy could do the scheduled refit. This was a boiler that had been passed fit. It wasn't, it was far too small for the property and it just couldn't cope. Not only was it dangerous, the house was always cold.

DS2 - the boiler was diagnosed "borderline - probably ok for a couple of years". We replaced it as a precautionary measure, the house is now really toasty and the bills are much lower than they would have been if we had kept the borderline boiler.

My advice is whenever you buy a property, unless you know for sure tbat the boiler is brand spanking new then always have a contingency fund for a replacement Boiler.

anna_1977

Not OCD at all LL. I would do the same

lessonlearned

another_casualty wrote: »

Thanks LL
So, if I just ask for my boiler to have a yearly service , that should be sufficient ?
Sorry to sound so dumb

Sorry are we talking about your onward purchase or the property you are selling.

I repeat again as a private vendor (as opposed to a landlord) you are under no legal obligation to supply either a gas safety certificate or to have the boiler serviced.

However, if the boiler has not been serviced within the last twelve months (with documentary evidence to support this) then your purchaser may request that the boiler be serviced as a condition of sale.

So if you had your boiler serviced but have no proof then you might need to get it serviced again. It all depends on what your buyers want.

Hope that clarifies the position.

I find that Nowadays more and more purchasers do like to know that the boiler has been serviced., or at least their solicitors will strongly advise that this is necessary. Especially FTBs.

Remember that gas and leccy checks are not undertaken by a surveyor. They do not come under the remit of even a full structural survey.

TBH. Older and more savvy buyers prefer to do their own checks anyway, using their own trusted tradespeople.

Often the checks undertaken by the vendor are untrustworthy.

A boiler service report doesn't need to comment or advise whether or not a boiler is on its last legs. So you can have a boiler that has been serviced, is safe and functioning well but that is nearing the end of its working life. (Like the boiler in ds2s house).