Grounds for recourse post-purchase

Andalya

Hello everyone - looking for some advice post-purchase.

My partner and I completed on our new home about a month ago. Before moving in we had all of the necessary searches and paid for a homebuyers survey for our own peace of mind. In addition, the seller agreed to a 6 week warranty (we have in writing) for works done to the place, as it's a recent refurb.

Since moving in, so many things have gone wrong (leaking chimney, cupboard doors falling off, appliances wired wrong/dangerously) culminating in today discovering that a fault with the boiler installation has led to gas being shut off as a serious safety risk.

The seller has flatly refused to honour his warranty, which to be honest I don't care about (annoying as it is), but with this gas issue I'm wondering how a) he managed to get a safety certificate issued and b) there are any grounds for legal action?

I know being a homeowner means dealing with the house as it comes, but this seems borderline fraudulent/criminal and certainly raises some questions about who issued the certificate - what if he does this again with more serious consequences? Any helpful advice would be really appreciated!

Comms69

Andalya wrote: »

Hello everyone - looking for some advice post-purchase.

My partner and I completed on our new home about a month ago. Before moving in we had all of the necessary searches and paid for a homebuyers survey for our own peace of mind. In addition, the seller agreed to a 6 week warranty (we have in writing) for works done to the place, as it's a recent refurb.

Since moving in, so many things have gone wrong (leaking chimney, cupboard doors falling off, appliances wired wrong/dangerously) culminating in today discovering that a fault with the boiler installation has led to gas being shut off as a serious safety risk.

The seller has flatly refused to honour his warranty, which to be honest I don't care about (annoying as it is), but with this gas issue I'm wondering how a) he managed to get a safety certificate issued and b) there are any grounds for legal action?

I know being a homeowner means dealing with the house as it comes, but this seems borderline fraudulent/criminal and certainly raises some questions about who issued the certificate - what if he does this again with more serious consequences? Any helpful advice would be really appreciated!

What are you hoping to achieve? Think that's simpler and quicker.


Who do you hold liable?

Andalya

At the moment finding out how a safety certificate was issued for a faulty installation would be the main objective, then trying to make sure that it doesn't happen again to someone else. There've got to be some kind of ramifications for this sort of negligence, it's a genuinely dangerous situation.

stator

Contact the gas installer on the certificate.
If it's not his signature, then you know who's forged it

Comms69

Andalya wrote: »

At the moment finding out how a safety certificate was issued for a faulty installation would be the main objective, then trying to make sure that it doesn't happen again to someone else. There've got to be some kind of ramifications for this sort of negligence, it's a genuinely dangerous situation.

Then you may as well forget about it. Because you will chase this for months and months before the person responsible simply says that the installation was changed subsequently by yourself.

Andalya

Urgh I had a feeling that might be the answer.. honestly I can't believe how easy it is for people to get away with such sub-par, dangerous work when it comes to houses, it just wouldn't wash in almost any other sphere!

Thanks anyway all.

Pixie5740

What warranty? Did you buy the property from a developer?

Andalya

A developer in the sense that this is the guy's business (renovating and flipping). As I said I didn't expect it to hold much water which is why we haven't bothered arguing on it after initial queries, but an incorrectly installed boiler resulting in a gas leak seems to me to be on another level given 30 odd people a year die from gas-related incidents.

Grenage

This is why I always walked away from refurbs when we were looking around. It's too easy to cover the cracks and bodge things so that they look alright.


As above, I'd go down the avenue of gas safety and forget about the rest. You wouldn't want some cowboy correcting the issue they created.

Smodlet

Not sure but is there any point reporting them to the OFT/local council? New combi boilers have to be registered with them so they may be able to advise.

Andalya

That's a good idea - will do so, thanks!