Buying a flat. Certificates: boiler...

BridgetLo

Hello,
I am buying a flat for the market's price valure (according to the survey I paid for). It is a 1 bedroom flat and the owner has lived there for years. I did the survey and an asbestos survey. In the survey it was suggested to check the electricity, boiler and water tank. Apparently the owner has not anything with the flat these years (at least 15) and I am afraid the boiler, electricity... are not in a good condition and might have to spend a considerable amount of money in re-wiring, boiling... Please, can I ask what your advice is? should I pay for another survey? Do they have to present some certificates and pay for some surveys the own owner? I am a cash buyer so I do not know if this will affect in terms of checking.
Thank you so much
Best

Smodlet

Where in the UK are you, OP? The answer will be dependent on location as the laws in Scotland are very different from those of England and Wales. NI is different again, as far as I know.

phill99

If no work has been undertaken on the services in 15 years, then there will be no appropriate installation or safety certificates or documentation. It is not mandatory for a homeowner to have an annual gas safety certificate done on their property (only mandatory on rented properties).

Therefore it is part of your due diligence to get and pay for any checks undertaken.

Just because the services are old it doesn't mean they are dangerous. You can get an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) on the electrical systems but I can guarantee that it will not be up to current regs, as will be 99% of properties in the UK.

BridgetLo

Thank you so much! The flat will be in Manchester.

Thanks!:j

BridgetLo

Thank you so much Phill99. The flat has not any gas installations, it is just electricity.
Thank you!

Best

BridgetLo

Please, can I ask which survey I should get to check electricity, boiler and water? I am checking on line and cannot find anything that might cover everything. I live in Manchester.
Thank you!

davidmcn

You get an electrician to report on the electrics, you get a gas person to report on the gas, and there isn't usually a requirement for somebody to check the plumbing other than the heating system, though I expect the gas person can have a look at the water tank if you want.

I wouldn't assume that just because it's 15+ years old there's necessarily anything wrong with it, though don't expect it to come up to current standards as regulations are updated all the time. If you and your surveyor didn't spot any obvious problems then the chances are it's all fine (in the sense of working and not a deathtrap).

phill99

BridgetLo wrote: »

Please, can I ask which survey I should get to check electricity, boiler and water? I am checking on line and cannot find anything that might cover everything. I live in Manchester.
Thank you!

You wont
They are different trade specialisms.
An Electrician will do an electrical report.


But when you say boiler, what do you mean?
Has it got an electric central heating boiler (quite a rare thing). Are you getting confused with the hot water tank?


How is the flat heated?


And when you say water survey, what are you actually wanting?

cattie

It's completely standard for surveyors to say that all the services you mention should be checked by a professional. They are not qualified to give advice on them so are just covering their backs. It is also completely standard for property to be valued at the very price you're paying for it. Occasionally a lower value will be given if the property is in need of serious updating or refurbishing.

As far as electrics go you should be able to tell yourself if they are relatively up to date. If the fuse box is the RCD type with switches rather than the old style pull out wired type then you should be ok. Look at the sockets, are they modern 3 pin ones? If yes then I shouldn't worry.

If the flat is in a block & managed by an agent or self managed by leaseholders, then I believe the water in the tank should be checked for safety periodically. This happens on my development, though I'm unsure of how often it occurs. This is an enquiry your solicitor could make as part of the conveyancing proccess.

Lokolo

All reports you get are going to throw something up, this is because of the years, standards have changed.

You can get a boiler service, and EICR, however if I was the seller I wouldn't budge on price, as I would expect this to be priced in. If it was recently rewired, new boiler etc. I would expect the price to be above than vs without. Whether or not this is the case I don't know. But don't necessarily think that just because the reports come back with issues, it means you should pay less (although it could well be).

sal_III

phill99 wrote: »

And when you say water survey, what are you actually wanting?

I believe the OP is after iron clad guarantee that absolutely nothing is wrong with the flat.