Home buyers survey didn't pick all observations, now further work is required.

Fez401

Hi, 
We recently bought a property as  first-time buyers 5 months ago. When we went for the process of buying the property, we picked to conduct a homebuyer’s survey and knew that is would you be an observational report only. We choose to do the homebuyers survey through the bank that we took our mortgage out with. Once the survey was complete, we were happy with the results, knew we needed to complete some level 3s and proceeded to buy the house. 

However, now that we have moved in, we are looking at fixing up parts of the kitchen (we always planned to do this) but when we have had someone out to look at the kitchen, we have been told that the distance from the oven and cupboard is against 'regulations', as well as the extract fan being cut into the cupboard to fit. In my view, I feel like this should have been picked up as it is clear to see, but obviously you must have the knowledge that it is against regulations. Has anyone ever heard of these regulations?

I'm wondering if it is worth a complaint to the home buyers survey or would just be a waste of time. Basically, if we want to make any official changes to the kitchen, we have to do a full redesign. 

Thanks.

user1977

Which "regulations"? Gas? Normally surveyors will exclude any confirmation about gas compliance and recommend you get a specialist in - did they, and if so, did you?

hazyjo

I thought there were only width limits for rentals.

Even if not, old things rarely have to be changed to meet current regs (so not really something your surveyor needed to say). It's only when you want to change for new - which is what you're presumably doing.

Scotbot

Regulations change frequently just because the work doesn't meet tbe standards now doesn't mean it didn't at the time. The homebuyers survey wouldn't go to that level of detail. Nor will it pick up electrical or gas issues, the most it will do is recommend an electrical and gas check. The extractor would be covered by one of these.  It should pick up major structural issues that need adressing but replacing a kitchen is a choice not a structural issue.

Jaybee_16

Cannot help with regulations, but when I sold my flat the person doing the homebuyers survey was in my flat less than 10 minutes. No surprise he probably missed many things.

AdrianC

Fez401 said:

However, now that we have moved in, we are looking at fixing up parts of the kitchen (we always planned to do this) but when we have had someone out to look at the kitchen, we have been told that the distance from the oven and cupboard is against 'regulations', as well as the extract fan being cut into the cupboard to fit.

It probably wasn't against the relevant (gas?) regs at the time. But they've changed since, and if there's work that requires sign-off to current regs, then it will need to be compliant.

This is all perfectly normal. Nothing to report. Imagine how hacked off you'd be if you had to change everything in your house every time the regs changed... But if you're doing other, related work? Yes, you may have to bring it up to scratch.

HampshireH

Assuming it's a gas cooker and cupboards above.

A cooker should be installed to manufactures instructions.

For reinstalling a cooker see this guidance for landlords but note that the install instructions still apply

https://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords/120814-prevused_domestic_gas_cooking_appliances.pdf

Fez401

Ahh, thanks everyone for your reply. It didn't cross my mind that the regs would have been newer than the kitchen. You've all saved me a lot of time trying to complain. 

As for the regs, the kitchen designer didn't go into detail about them and we only have an elec oven at the minute, so that's why I wondering if anyone had hear of it before.

Thanks for all your help. 

AdrianC

Fez401 said:

It didn't cross my mind that the regs would have been newer than the kitchen.

The current ("18th edition") domestic wiring regs came into force at the start of 2019, with a minor amendment in early 2020...

AnotherJoe

Fez401 said:

Ahh, thanks everyone for your reply. It didn't cross my mind that the regs would have been newer than the kitchen. You've all saved me a lot of time trying to complain.
As for the regs, the kitchen designer didn't go into detail about them and we only have an elec oven at the minute, so that's why I wondering if anyone had hear of it before.
Thanks for all your help. 

Yes, as an example a few years back, the electrical safety rules were changed to specify that consumer units (aka fuse boxes) should be made of plastic, ( so that you cannot get a shock by touching the outside of it if for example a wire was loose.)

Then,some plastic fuse boxes melted and caught fire.

So the rules were changed back to metal.

And maybe they've changed since.

Or for gas, you may notice on houses that have had a new gas boiler installed in the same place as the old one, they put a new vent in a few inches above the existing bricking in the original cavity. You may notice different bricks in that area if you look at such a house. Why? Because they changed the rules to make the vent height higher than the old rules.

Point being,  being "against regulations" is irrelevant unless it was 5 minutes ago.

In neither case does it mean you had to rip and replace your fuse boxes and boilers to keep up. An item just has to comply with regulations at the time its fitted (unless perhaps its something drastic like a cladding issue where rip and replace is necessary)