Indemnity insurance?? Or demand a service on boiler?

meggles88

I am currently in the process of purchasing my first house! I am at the stage where solicitors are raising enquiries. One query is in relation to the boiler and central heating, there is no certificate and the seller is unsure how old the boiler is and cant provide a service history.... despite renting the home out... I thought they had to have yearly services but hey ho.. doesn't change the fact they have the documentation!

My solicitor has asked that the vendor draw up indemnity insurance at cost to the other party...

Can someone explain what indemnity means for me? and is it worth me booking a boiler service myself where a certificate can be issued or will this be something the seller would consider? I am not sure what would be cheaper for the vendor?

I haven't had the boiler checked but seems to be in working order as the heating was working fine and shower etc when I checked.....

Phew sorry for lengthy post and thank you for your kind responses!

Marvel1

Annual service - no

Annual gas safety - yes

If I was buying I would pay as it's for my benefit.

G_M

Indemnity insurance will pay out to you if the local authority check the boiler (they won't) and find that it does not conform to Building Regulations standards, and therefore require you to re-install/replace it.

The local authority can only do this within 12 months of the original installation.

The insurance does not protect you if the boiler breaks down.


So it's pretty pointless.


From your point of view, what really matters is
* is the boiler safe? (go round with a CO alarm and leave the alarm next to the boiler while you view the rest of the property)
* is the boiler reliable? (check the rads get hot and the water is hot)


Beyond that, if you are concerned, pay a gasSafe engineer to inspect and report to you.

davidmcn

meggles88 wrote: »

I haven't had the boiler checked but seems to be in working order as the heating was working fine and shower etc when I checked.....

Well, there you go. It works. Might break down at any moment of course. For lots of buyers, that's enough.

Or you could get a professional in to tell you that it works, and give you a more educated view on how long it's going to last before breaking down (and whether it's safe).

Indemnity insurance isn't going to help much.

gary83

You can't demand a boiler service, you can ask for one. If it's at their cost the vendor is perfectly entitled to say no. If your offering to pay for the service as it's you that'd benefit then that's a reasonable request, on the off chance they refuse that just makes it look like they're trying to hide something.

If you use British gas for the service then be prepared for them to say you should think about getting a new boiler as if it breaks you might struggle to get spare parts for the perfectly serviceable but old one they're viewing, don't think I'm the only one who had that sales patter.

3card

My thoughts are that if the boiler is being seen to be working then check it again just prior to the exchange and if its not working ask them to sort it out.


For piece of mind I would be asking my own gas engineer to check the boiler condition out if I was that worried

foxy-stoat

I would ask your solicitor to explain how the indemnity policy will help or protect you.

Then tell them to stick to conveyancing rather than trying to come up with ways to put the vendor off or cost you more money.

If it is a boiler that works and a few years old then that is all you need to know. Maybe get them to send a copy of the last time it was tested if you want or get it done when you move in.

ognum

foxy-stoat wrote: »

I would ask your solicitor to explain how the indemnity policy will help or protect you.

Then tell them to stick to conveyancing rather than trying to come up with ways to put the vendor off or cost you more money.

If it is a boiler that works and a few years old then that is all you need to know. Maybe get them to send a copy of the last time it was tested if you want or get it done when you move in.

I think you are wrong, just because it works doesn’t mean it works safely or to current standards. I have just sold a house (complete next week) and bought a house four weeks ago and a service records is a standard buyer requirement or a recent service at the least. If no building regs can be found on the gas safe register then getting the seller to get a service I sent the minimum i would accept.

IS there a carbon monoxide monitor in the house?

Slappermum

foxy-stoat wrote: »

I would ask your solicitor to explain how the indemnity policy will help or protect you.

The thing is that, for practical purposes, the solicitor works for the lender and their interests first, and the buyer is practically an afterthought.

I've had a similar boiler indemnity palaver with my purchase (hoping to exchange this week) and ultimately the vendor agreed to do it at his expense. Like so much in the conveyancing process, it's a box to tick - it's obviously pointless and silly, but the lender requires it and explaining it to them would probably require more time and money than the indemnity insurance would cost.

foxy-stoat

ognum wrote: »

I think you are wrong, just because it works doesn’t mean it works safely or to current standards.

IS there a carbon monoxide monitor in the house?

Thats why get the last boiler annual check certificate or arrange of one when you move.

A monitor is a good idea to have and cheap to buy.

foxy-stoat

Slappermum wrote: »

The thing is that, for practical purposes, the solicitor works for the lender and their interests first, and the buyer is practically an afterthought.

I've had a similar boiler indemnity palaver with my purchase (hoping to exchange this week) and ultimately the vendor agreed to do it at his expense. Like so much in the conveyancing process, it's a box to tick - it's obviously pointless and silly, but the lender requires it and explaining it to them would probably require more time and money than the indemnity insurance would cost.

I think its a solicitor driven thing rather than a lender requirement.

When I sold my last house the buyer's solicitor wanted me to pay for an indemnity policy for an area of patio that has been down for over 30 years, which was the same as the other houses on the street. I mean what are they trying to indemnify against on something that was probably laid in the 80's?