Boiler Condemned in Soon to Be New Home

ComicGeek

The OP doesn't say anywhere that it's an old back boiler or that there's anything actually wrong with the boiler - it's not condemned, the installation is considered at risk because the latest ventilation requirements are higher than when it was installed. Sorted out with a larger vent at very little cost. No indication on the actual condition of the boiler.

New back boilers can still be purchased so doesn't automatically mean that the original is ancient, old or defective.

Crashy_Time

How many other offers does the seller have?

p00hsticks

alsaskiaj said:

Naturally, my partner and I have asked whether or not the seller would be willing to replace the boiler or otherwise lower the cost of the purchase price that was agreed.

It's never a good idea to ask a seller to carry out works - there is no incentive for them to do a good lasting job, so they're likely to go for the cheapest cowboy outfit they can find. And any guarantee or warranty may not pass on to you.

Better to try to negotiate a drop in price and get the work done yourself.

Anamox

alsaskiaj said:

1. Am we being unreasonable in asking for a fair negotiation of the price as a result of the boiler issues once the surveyors report has been returned (providing there are no additional faults at the property)?
2. Am we within our right to request that the boiler is turned off as instructed by British Gas to ensure safety prior to exchange as we will be expected to Insure the home from the date that we exchange contracts? (And to visit the property to confirm this).

1) you can do whatever you want with the price, as can the seller. Realistically if you drop the price by £5k, it doesn't really mean you have £5k to spend on the repairs unless you're a cash buyer... 
2) they would have turned it off themselves if it was currently dangerous. Considering it is a backboiler it looks more like a "grandfathers rights" issue - it was up to standard back then, but it isn't now. This means they're obliged to recommend replacement but it doesn't necessarily make it immediately unsafe, some companies flirt with wording here to try and push a sale. If you're worried about ventilation (CO gas being the concern) you can get a CO sensor as many older properties have for enhanced warning if ventilation becomes unsafe. 

You're looking at around £2500 to replace a back boiler with a new combi boiler, assuming it is a straight forward job. The work will take less than a day.

NameUnavailable

Wait to see what else the survey picks up. Almost certainly some damp and advice to have the electrics checked etc.

Some are telling you that if a new boiler was fitted the price of the property would be higher so you can't negotiate. But by that same argument, you're buying a house with effectively no boiler when it was 'sold' with one. So yes absolutely see if you can negotiate something towards the cost of a new boiler. But there may be other issues to consider when you get the survey back so hold fire until then.

alsaskiaj

You thought you were buying a house with an ancient back-boiler and an ancient cold-water storage tank.

If the vendor replaces them, you'll be buying a house with a brand new replacement... Has the property been valued taking account of the ancient installation...? Would a direct replacement with the cheapest possible option be what you would really want? Or is this a good excuse to upgrade to something less historic...?

Soot2006 said:

AdrianC said:

You thought you were buying a house with an ancient back-boiler and an ancient cold-water storage tank.

If the vendor replaces them, you'll be buying a house with a brand new replacement... Has the property been valued taking account of the ancient installation...? Would a direct replacement with the cheapest possible option be what you would really want? Or is this a good excuse to upgrade to something less historic...?

This, 100x!

There is a wold of difference between the cheapest shiny new boiler put in the cheapest location to suit the current system and the boiler of you choice in a location of your choice.

mattyprice4004 said:

Yep, to mirror the above comments you knew it was an old system, and now it'll be a new system - so you can't expect the full cost (not even half really) to be covered.
A small token discount of a few hundred quid maybe, at most. 

I just want to be clear on the fact that this isn't a case of "I want a shiny new boiler". It's simply down to the fact that our offer was made on the basis that the property was equipped with an outdated back boiler in full working order and that there were no additional issues with the central heating system such as leaks. To support this, we were given a BG annual service report that stated that the boiler was in full working order. However, at the beginning of this month another service was carried out because the previous certificate had expired. The new report has since seen the boiler condemned. As a result, we feel that is is fair to ask for at least parts to be replaced, as well as for the leak to be repaired to avoid further damage.

alsaskiaj

silvercar said:

If your offer was made on the basis of a working old boiler and now you are looking at a condemned boiler, I would be asking for a reduction. It may have been in your plans that you wouldn't replace it til next year and now you are faced with the extra cost before winter.
I'd also want that leaking cold water cistern fixed; the last thing you need is to move into a place that has had a small leak on the go for weeks, potentially damaging floorboards etc.

Thank you! Our offer was made on the basis of a working boiler, regardless of whether or not it was new or old as we knew we would have to replace it at some point anyway. It's unfortunate that the boiler has since been condemned. However, that isn't what we were sold and therefore, I believe we should at least be compensated as you said.

alsaskiaj

dimbo61 said:

So what is the rest of the property looking like.
Old boiler, leaks, needs a new kitchen ? and bathroom ? 
What about the electrics ? 
Have you got £2,500 for a new boiler ? Can you get one under a government grant ? Or Interest free.
Ecotec Vialliant boiler 👍

The entirety of the property is in need of modernising, including a full re-wire and chasing of the electrics (thankfully my partner is an electrician). Our renovation work also included a replacement of the boiler but this work wasn't going to be carried out until after the winter as we were informed that the property had a boiler that was in working order to accommodate us for the winter months. In short, our offer was made on the basis that the property came with a boiler in full-working order and it has since been condemned. Therefore, leaving us in a position where we now have to fork out a couple of grand to replace it and repair a leak that's coming from the water tank in one of the upstairs bedrooms before we hit winter, which would be cutting it fine by the time we eventually reach completion. In terms of a grant, I have already researched this as a potential option. However, neither my partner or myself qualify.

alsaskiaj

NameUnavailable said:

Wait to see what else the survey picks up. Almost certainly some damp and advice to have the electrics checked etc.

Some are telling you that if a new boiler was fitted the price of the property would be higher so you can't negotiate. But by that same argument, you're buying a house with effectively no boiler when it was 'sold' with one. So yes absolutely see if you can negotiate something towards the cost of a new boiler. But there may be other issues to consider when you get the survey back so hold fire until then.

Thank you!

You wouldn't buy a car advertised with an engine without one, so why should we do the same with a house that claimed to have a working boiler, right? I think we are being more than reasonable in asking for a negotiation of the price, regardless of how big or small. Thankfully we already know that the entire property needs a full re-wire too as my fiance is an electrician and that's going to save us a fair chunk.

We will await our surveyors report and take it from there.

MalMonroe

This sounds like an absolute nightmare to me. Having bought and sold a few properties in the past I know that sellers don't disclose everything (although now they are supposed to).  I never would buy a house with a back boiler, even in the days when they were popular just because they were so difficult to access. 

Is this REALLY your dream home? If they won't accept a reduction - which I would ask my solicitor to request of their solicitor - it may be time to reconsider altogether. Seems to me this house is going to be a money pit from the outset - what else is REALLY wrong with the place? You might be better off waiting until something decent turns up. I wouldn't trust that seller as far as I could throw him. You could probably build your own new home for less!