Seller lying on information form

shas79

I just received a copy of the seller information form which they filled in "no" to any electrical or building work having been completed.

However, when we did a second viewing which was just with the owners, they told us they installed a new fuse board when they purchased it (and I think required but I can't be 100% certain about that), they've built a shed with power and they also installed a toilet off the main bedroom.

The toilet & shed I'm not so worried about, but do I challenge the electrics? The seller is an electrician & he did the work himself so presumably he has answered no because there is no paperwork for it.

It does however also make me worry he's lied in other areas of the form if we know he's lied on those.

shas79

Required = rewired (it won't let me edit the post)

hazyjo

You're prob right in that he doesn't have paperwork.

Not sure I'd contest it, but I may choose to get in my own independent electrician to give the place a once over.

Saying that, it's his own home and he's an electrician so you would think he'd have done anything properly! Not like it's an anonymous cash in hand bodge job for someone he'll never have any contact with again.

Jx

Tacosss1985

If he's done it and owns the house, it's unlikely there would be any paperwork, my boyfriend is a plumber and he fit his own bathroom, no paperwork just receipts for the parts, as there is no need, he probably put no for that reason, if you're worried you could always check his qualifications? Or get someone independent to check the place over don't think it would cost much unless work needs to be done

trailingspouse

Odd that he would say no on the form and yet tell you straight when you viewed? I wonder if he just ticked the wrong box by accident? There's nothing to stop you saying 'Oh, you've ticked 'no' but you mentioned the x, y and z, do we need to get that bit changed?' and then 'Do you want to have a quick look at the rest of the form just in case?'

Depending on how long ago the work was done, he may not have needed a cert for the electrical work (from memory that came in around 2004?).

anselld

Tacosss1985 wrote: »

If he's done it and owns the house, it's unlikely there would be any paperwork, my boyfriend is a plumber and he fit his own bathroom, no paperwork just receipts for the parts, as there is no need, he probably put no for that reason, if you're worried you could always check his qualifications? Or get someone independent to check the place over don't think it would cost much unless work needs to be done

The difference is refit a bathroom is not notifiable work, whereas Consumer unit replacement is. It should have a building regs compliance certificate if fitted after 2005.

OP, the problem is that if you raise this via your Solicitor then some Solicitors will then be like a dog with a bone until it is resolved (on behalf of the lender). It may cause more problems than it is worth for a bit of paper.

Mickygg

I wouldn't worry. I would get it checked out though. Whether that is before or after purchase it is down to how worried you are.

Mickygg

Oh and FWIW those forms take with a pinch of salt. My seller lied/got wrong several things such as boundary owned, work done, warranty. When I spoke to my solicitor she said it does happen regularly and I should do my own checks for anything I think is wrong!

I was a bit taken aback on that.

shas79

Thanks all for the thoughts. I guess my main concern is that if something went wrong and it was found the electrics had been redone after regulations came in (which they were, the house electrics were done in 2006 & the shed after that), then would it invalidate my insurance? It also concerns me that if I sold the property down the line I would also have to answer no and therefore any liability for it would pass to me.

As I said it also concerns me if they have lied about anything else (for example damp or flooding), as I know they've lied about electrics & building work & also the question about who else looking lives at the property he's only put his wife but they have 2 children & he hasn't listed them, so that's 3 lies I absolutely know of.

Appreciate if I take this up with the solicitor it could cause delays, but I also don't want this hanging over my head so not really sure what to do & if he's done the work I don't see why I should have to pay for someone to inspect it as it's an expensive enough process!

keith969

Shas79 wrote: »

Appreciate if I take this up with the solicitor it could cause delays, but I also don't want this hanging over my head so not really sure what to do & if he's done the work I don't see why I should have to pay for someone to inspect it as it's an expensive enough process!

If you're worried about it people filling in forms incorrectly, have the property properly surveyed. Why should you pay for it? Well because you're the one buying it and raising the accusations.

If you don't want to, then walk away.

Davesnave

Shas79 wrote: »

As I said it also concerns me if they have lied about anything else (for example damp or flooding), as I know they've lied about electrics & building work & also the question about who else looking lives at the property he's only put his wife but they have 2 children & he hasn't listed them, so that's 3 lies I absolutely know of.

Appreciate if I take this up with the solicitor it could cause delays, but I also don't want this hanging over my head so not really sure what to do & if he's done the work I don't see why I should have to pay for someone to inspect it as it's an expensive enough process!

He hasn't concealed the children, and it would make no difference one way or the other, so that's just an oversight! I suspect some of the rest might be too. People take very different levels of care when filling-in forms, depending largely on their possession of jobsworth genes.

I don't see how you can be truly sure about the fitness of the electrics wihout a report from another electrician, and maybe the rest of the house would be best surveyed too. Whether you can convince matey to pay towards the former is another matter, depending on how much he wants to sell to you, how his pride might be dented and what the market is like. He certainly won't pay for the latter.

You can check for flooding potential here:
https://flood-map-for-planning.service.gov.uk/

and by getting an insurance quote for the property. Insurers will know about any earlier claims.