selling house, dont have electricity safety cert

paulr70

Hey all,

We`re selling our house and whilst doing the solicitors forms its asked have we had any electrical work done since 2005. We did have a new consumer unit and some electrics grounded a few years back but at the time we were living abroad and it was rented and never received any certificates from the electrician or managing agents.

Any suggestions for what to put, say nothing has been done since 2005? or explain the certificates were never given?

Thanks

G_M

Ask the electrician for the certificate.

Failing that, either state 'None available' or get an electrical report done.

How long ago was the work done? Buiding Regs can only be enforced within 12 months.

the local authority may serve an enforcement notice on the building owner requiring alteration or removal of work which contravenes the regulations (section 36 of the 1984 Act). If the owner does not comply with the notice the local authority has the power to undertake the work itself and recover the costs of doing so from the owner.

A section 36 enforcement notice cannot be served on you after the expiration of 12 months from the date of completion of the building work.

https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200128/building_control/38/building_regulations/3

paulr70

G_M wrote: »

Ask the electrician for the certificate.

Failing that, either state 'None available' or get an electrical report done.

How long ago was the work done? Buiding Regs can only be enforced within 12 months.

https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200128/building_control/38/building_regulations/3

Thanks, checking my emails was end of 2014. Seemed he went back and forth to the house doing bits and pieces and then the tenant was ill and think it got missed.

anselld

paulr70 wrote: »

Thanks, checking my emails was end of 2014. Seemed he went back and forth to the house doing bits and pieces and then the tenant was ill and think it got missed.

If he installed a new Consumer Unit then that is notifiable and the paperwork should have been submitted. It is not something which needs a separate visit, it is part and parcel of the installation.

You can check with Building Control if it was notified and request them to re-send the Compliance Certificate if it was.

paulr70

ok what if it wasnt put through building control? Will I have to pay out on getting new certificates done? etc

Thanks

G_M

From a buyer's perspective, there are 2 potential issues:

1) Building Conrol come along and inspect, and insist he upgrade/put right anything done wrong.
a) as per previous post - they only have 12 months
b) you (or the buyer) could buy an indemnity insurance policy that would cover this remote possibility

2) the work was poorly done or used poor materials (eg your sparkie installed an old consumer unit he had left over from the 60s) and the buyer's child gets electrocuted. An electrical inspection report (by you or the buyer) could ensure this was not the case.

Davesnave

People are wary about electrics.

Easiest to get an electrical report/any remedials done by a sparky to ensure its safe. It won't be compliant with up to date regs, but very few houses are.

Oakdene

G_M wrote: »

b) you (or the buyer) could buy an indemnity insurance policy that would cover this remote possibility

Thats what happened with the house I bought last year. The electrics were re-done a year previous to my purchase but there was no certificate so there is a clause that allows me to claim from the indemnity policy should anything go wrong with that part of the electrics.

Slinky

Oakdene wrote: »

Thats what happened with the house I bought last year. The electrics were re-done a year previous to my purchase but there was no certificate so there is a clause that allows me to claim from the indemnity policy should anything go wrong with that part of the electrics.

That's all very well, but somebody I know got electrocuted from a commercial cooking range that hadn't been wired in properly. The doctors said if he hadn't been so fit (marathon runner), it would probably have killed him. You can't claim from beyond the grave. You're probably OK, but things can and do go wrong.

Davesnave

paulr70 wrote: »

Any suggestions? Thanks

We just did. Take your pick.

Personally, I'd just go for an electrical report now, as it's too late for enforcement action.
An indemnity policy wouldn't cut ice with me as a buyer.

You could also put the onus on the buyer to get their own report, but that wouldn't sit especially well with the major change you implemented in 2014, for which no paperwork exists....

paulr70

anselld wrote: »

If he installed a new Consumer Unit then that is notifiable and the paperwork should have been submitted. It is not something which needs a separate visit, it is part and parcel of the installation.

You can check with Building Control if it was notified and request them to re-send the Compliance Certificate if it was.

Thanks, I checked building control and theres nothing for our property on there regarding electricial works.

Any suggestions? Thanks