Is hot water low flow a matter of disclosure when selling

tupina22

My property is proceeding to sale.  The buyers live 200 miles away and have only viewed once and asked no questions at all. 

The property is a 70s bungalow with a gravity fed system (water tank in loft and immersion cylinder in kitchen).  All systems work fine except the hot water flow rate is low.  The water authority have stated that the water pressure to the house if acceptable and I have told my solicitor this.

I have asked a plumber to come and see if there is anything I can do to improve the flow eg. install a booster pump.

My query is: If a booster pump doesn't improve the flow, does this come under 'disclosure'?  Information around this is so contradictory.  I'm not sure where 'caveat emptor' comes in either? 

I would welcome any uniquevocal information on this please.

lesalanos

I've never seen a question asking about flow rates when buying/selling 

Stubod

I would assume that most houses with a gravity (tank in the roof) system have relatively low flow flow rates, (I know ours does). If you want a shower taken directly of the hot water tank then you will probably need to fit a booster pump, (we had one of these). However I prefer a simpler electric shower taken directly off the mains cold water pipe as this only heats the water you use, all be it at a lower flow rate than a booster pump.

But I would certainly NOT put it in a disclosure document as it is not technically a "fault", just the way the system is....IMHO

davidmcn

There's no general principle that you need to disclose negative stuff about the property. You answer the questions you are asked. This isn't a normal one. 

ARH_2

It's not on the TA6, so you're not going to need to volunteer this information.

Any sensible buyer will instruct a surveyor who will comment on this if it's really awful. 

greatcrested

No need to disclose unless asked.

Why on earth are you installing a pump if a) you've lived there yourself happily without one and b) you are selling????!!

Externalwater pressure from mains is irrelevant - that just feeds the attic tank so has no relationship with the hot water pressure internally.

An attic tank should provide 'reasonable' pressure to a cylinder in the kitchen. No, it won't be like a power shower, but it should be sufficient.

I have an attic tank feeding a cylinder on the 1st floor (so similar 'drop' I imagine to your set-up) and the shower on the same floor as the cylinder works fine.

I suppose you may have old pipework clogged with limescale that reduces the pressure, but that's unlikely.

[Deleted User]

The buyer could have run the taps and seen this themselves (I would as I have experienced the problems low hot water pressure causes).  You don't have to disclose it.  Things like that the buyer should be investigating.

xylophone

I have a gravity fed system - no problem upstairs or down.

lesalanos

xylophone said:

I have a gravity fed system - no problem upstairs or down.

Good for you

The OP had a bungalow though 

pinkteapot

As others have said, you won't be asked about it when selling and there's no obligation to pro-actively declare it. It becomes the buyer's problem. 

There will definitely be plumbing options to resolve it - how complex and how much they cost will depend on exactly what the issue is. It's normally the shower where the problem is most noticeable (we had a rental a couple of years ago with an awful dribbly shower!) - buyer could get a pump added to that, or change to an electric shower. Agree with the others though - I don't know why you'd spend money on it if you're selling...

Your only obligation is to answer all questions you get asked in writing honestly. You'll have the Property Information Form to complete, and likely some additional enquiries in a list from the vendor's solicitor. There's no reason in the world they'd ask about the hot water, unless you've already told them about it (why did you need to tell your solicitor about the water pressure?). There's no 'disclosure' required beyond answering questions that actually get put to you. 

tupina22

My solicitor (I am in Scotland) asked me to confirm that all systems & applicances (incl. heating/water/elec) are working normally commensurate with age.  I confirmed yes but (stupidly?) stated that the water pressure is low as it's a bungalow at the top of a hill.  I have since just stated that the water pressure has been tested by the water authority and has been deemed acceptable.  That was accepted and no more has been said or asked. 

Thankfully I installed an electric shower from the start so that works fine!