HomeBuyers report with a few Catergory 3 concerns (first time buyer, help required!)

amy.l.johnson

I have just had my HomeBuyers Report back for the 2 bed flat (1960s, purpose built) that I have offered on. There are a couple of Category 3 concerns and I am looking for advice on how to interpret these and what action to take!
First concern is the balcony. The report states that the metal supports to the balustrade are rusting. The asphalt deck to the balcony is cracked and requires repair.
Second concerns is that the glass in the front door and balcony door are not kite marked.
The final concern is that there is no up-to-date test certificate for the electrical installation. Elements of the installation are dated.
They also raised concern about an asbestos cold water tank, but it was written in to my offer that this be removed before exchange, and storage heaters not being tested, but I plan on replacing these with gas central heating immediately so I am not concerned about this either.


A first time buyer, purchasing on my own, I am new to this and feel clueless. Advice and guidance, much appreciated!

AdrianC

amy.l.johnson wrote: »

First concern is the balcony. The report states that the metal supports to the balustrade are rusting. The asphalt deck to the balcony is cracked and requires repair.

Which you'd noticed anyway, right, before placing your offer?

Second concerns is that the glass in the front door and balcony door are not kite marked.

I have no idea if they would have needed to be marked in the 60s or not - almost certainly not. If you're worried it might not be toughened safety glass, then replacing the glass will be trivial.

The final concern is that there is no up-to-date test certificate for the electrical installation.

So pay for one. Of course, it won't be up to modern standards - we can tell you that for nowt, straight off. That's because the standards change all the time. The current standard was only required from the start of January this year... We're on the 18th edition of BS7671 now - depending on when in the 60s, the property would originally have been wired to the 13th or 14th editions. Plus, of course, any subsequent changes.

And, as you say...

Elements of the installation are dated.

So you know already you're going to want to update it - and knew that when you placed your offer.

Albala

That's a bit unfair, AdrianC, especially to a new buyer. All they know at present is the installation is 'dated' which really says nothing. The next step they need to take, which they may not know, is a proper electrical inspection.
That could come up with C1s (dangerous), C2s (potentially dangerous) C3s (needs doing soon) and/or FIs (needing further investigation to find out how serious they are).
There is a big difference between 'not done to current regs' (which have only been in since, IIRC, late last year, so very few places would be), and being last wired in the 1960s, which is now nearly 60 years ago. It could be either or anything in between, plus any DIY nonsense any previous owner may have got up to. The OP needs to know where they are on all that. It could be fairly recent, say, mid 1990s, and need little doing to make it fine, or 1960s, in which case it will need a rewire to get a mortgage from a lot of lenders. Without a report, the OP can't possibly have allowed for all those possibilities in their offer.


We bought last in the early 1990s, and our lender insisted on a complete rewire for a 1960s house because it didn't meet the current regs on one or two points (earthing of lighting circuits), regs which had been in place IIRC all of six months at the time. Our electricians said it didn't need doing (even though they knew they'd get any work) but the building society was adamant. No rewire, no mortgage. We did manage to persuade them not to insist on it being done before exchange, they allowed us to do it within a set time after completion, and we had to provide evidence it had been done.
The OP could not possibly have known how much 'updating' it would need when they made their offer- in fact, they still don't, not until they get an electrical inspection report.
If sellers don't want reductions after such reports, they need to do as we intend to do for our upcoming sale- get an LX in to do an inspection, and rectify anything that needs doing. Then present the paperwork for all that to any buyers before they make an offer. Buyers do not have x-ray eyes, nor can they do an insulation test by just looking at the sockets, and nor do they know what things may have been done to the system which are potentially dangerous. That's an LX's job.