Gas fire and radiators installed with no paperwork

Weave

Hi


I am selling my house and the buyers solicitor has requested 'appropriate certifications' for the following -
1) Replacement (not new installation) gas fire installed in 2013 - I paid cash to the plumber so got no paperwork. He was Gas Safe registered as I checked his details out.
2) New radiators and valves in most rooms in 2013 - same plumber as above, paid cash and no paperwork supplied. (Boiler was done later by a different plumber and all paperwork is correct for that).
3) A conservatory added in 2000 by a previous owner, no building regs were requested when I purchased but they seem to want them now and they don't exist as far as I know.


We were hoping to move 10 days from now. I am concerned I will have to apply for building regs/regularisation for the gas fire and conservatory which I imagine will take weeks or months?


Is there any way around this or a quick fix?


Thanks

HouseBuyer77

Radiators and valves are not notifiable (they're just plumbing, you don't need a certificate for a new tap for instance). Only gas installations are.

So lack of certificate for gas fire may be a problem, but if the buyer is worried they can always get their own plumber to check it out.

Wouldn't worry about the conservatory building regs. If you'd just put it up perhaps there'd be a problem. But as it's 15 years old the council wouldn't enforce anything and assuming it still looks in reasonable condition shows that the construction is sound as well.

I'd reply to the solicitor saying no certificates are available. Buyer can get indemnities/ask a plumber/builder to inspect as required.

HouseBuyer77

You might also mention the gas fire was a straight replacement and carried out by a gas safe enginner you just don't have any paperwork. I'm pretty sure that still requires a certificate but perhaps may make the buyer less uneasy. Also be sure to point out the age of the conservatory.

theartfullodger

Weave wrote: »

Hi


I am selling my house and the buyers solicitor has requested 'appropriate certifications' for the following -
1) Replacement (not new installation) gas fire installed in 2013 - I paid cash to the plumber so got no paperwork. He was Gas Safe registered as I checked his details out.
2) New radiators and valves in most rooms in 2013 - same plumber as above, paid cash and no paperwork supplied. (Boiler was done later by a different plumber and all paperwork is correct for that).
3) A conservatory added in 2000 by a previous owner, no building regs were requested when I purchased but they seem to want them now and they don't exist as far as I know.......

Just because you pay cash doesn't mean you don't get any paperwork.

I submit most people would deduce you & the plumber both knew fine well he was fiddling his taxes (so the rest of us pay more taxes..) and you were getting a discount for permitting that. I would not expect the work quality to be that high in such circumstances....

Could you kindly elaborate on what had happened?? Appreciate both you & plumber may be pure as driven snow...

Dislike tax cheats as much as I dislike benefit cheats..

Weave

Thanks for the tax advice..... duly noted!


I would be happy to have the gas fire inspected/serviced by a Gas Safe engineer prior to sale. I was actually unaware that replacing the fire would be a building regs issue!


The buyers solicitor seems to think the mortgage company will not be happy about the lack of certifications so if that's the case they can't buy until the mortgage company are happy.

teddysmum

Nearly two years ago, I had a replacement boiler , radiators, a toilet flush repair and the gas fire replaced.


I had a receipt listing the work done, but no certificate for the fire; just the documentation for the boiler and it's warranty, the replacement fire being already owned.

chappers

Essentially the replacement or installation of any flued gas appliance is notifiable.
You could go down the route of saying you were under the impression that the installer was going to notify the local authority, which is the standard procedure, as for the conservatory, you know nothing about that as it was there when you moved in.
As has been suggested offer a gas safe cert and indemnity on the conservatory, although as has been said there is no mechanism for any enforcement 15 years after it's construction. So it wouldn't really be appropriate in this case anyway.

Weave

Just to close this off for any future readers with a similar problem.

We agreed to pay £150 for an indemnity policy that protects the buyer from any building regulation breaches that may arise from work done prior to their purchase. They have accepted this policy.


Thanks for everyone's input.

G_M

The insurance companies LOVE this scam.

Such a policy will never (ever ever) have to pay out so it is pure profit for the insurance company (and conveyancer who pockets the commission.)

eddddy

Weave wrote: »

Just to close this off for any future readers with a similar problem.

We agreed to pay £150 for an indemnity policy that protects the buyer from any building regulation breaches that may arise from work done prior to their purchase. They have accepted this policy.


Thanks for everyone's input.

Your buyers are happy, which is good.

But other buyers in similar circumstances might not be. An indemnity policy doesn't protect buyers from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Some buyers might be concerned that if there is no paperwork, the appliance was installed by somebody who is untraceable and isn't competent.

pinkteapot

eddddy wrote: »

Some buyers might be concerned that if there is no paperwork, the appliance was installed by somebody who is untraceable and isn't competent.

In which case they can have their preferred Gas Safe engineer check the installation over, either before or after completion. Most people wouldn't pull out of a house over a gas fire and they can always choose not to use it until they've had it checked. The fire is often non-essential in a centrally-heated house anyway.