C2s on EICR in victorian house

Krip18

Thanks for all the responses - here is a screen shot of the main bits/comments I believe for further information. 

dil1976

That quote seems very excessive, most of those could fixed in situ with little work required. You should obtain 3 or 4 more quotes from local electricians as I am sure you can get most of those sorted for quite a bit less.

fenwick458

the bit I don't agree with is the DB Requiring RCBO/SPD protection. that's the top level and mostly optional, this sort of level you pay for in your own house if you really want it. not the level you'd get a house to in order to sell it, really you are just interested in getting it to the minimum level in order to sell it
OP, get some more quotes "to make the electrical installation satisfactory"

AskAsk

MaryNB said:

AskAsk said:

Krip18 said:

Thanks everyone - - house isn't a rental so doesn't need an eicr and being sold to couple who intend to live in property. Will definitely get quote and go from there. Still not sure if minded to pay at all as had 4 best and finals all above asking but don't want to be unreasonable (just have new baby and feeling like another thing to sort!) 

my point about the EICR being required for rentals is that failing one is not considered safe but the government hasn't yet made that compulsory by law for home owners.  arguably if this is required for rentals, it should also be required for owner occupier properties and so what the buyer is saying is that until this is passed, they would consider your home to be unsafe for themselves to occupy.

the survey will advise potential buyers to get a professional in to inspect the electrics for safety or to ask for the EICR certificate.  not everyone will do this but it would appear these buyers have chosen to do so.

It's different for rentals though. Generally the terms of a tenancy agreement would not allow the tenant to carry out repairs so the onus is on the landlord to provide a safe place to live. It may not be in the interest of the landlord to pay for an electrician to check it frequently since they don't have to live there with the risk so legal enforcement is needed. A homeowner is able to get the work done if the property isn't safe and it is in their interest to pay for it.

that is the logic behind not enforcing these checks on home owners, like the gas safety checks.  that as the landlord does not live at the property, there is less incentive for him to make it safe.  however, if it considered unsafe for a rental property if you can not pass an EICR test, then i would say that it is equally unsafe for an owner occupier property to have electrics that fail the EICR test and the gas safety test.

unless of course these tests are overly pedantic and states things are unsafe when they are actually fine as home owners have lived there for many years and no one has died.

TheJP

AskAsk said:

MaryNB said:

AskAsk said:

Krip18 said:

Thanks everyone - - house isn't a rental so doesn't need an eicr and being sold to couple who intend to live in property. Will definitely get quote and go from there. Still not sure if minded to pay at all as had 4 best and finals all above asking but don't want to be unreasonable (just have new baby and feeling like another thing to sort!) 

my point about the EICR being required for rentals is that failing one is not considered safe but the government hasn't yet made that compulsory by law for home owners.  arguably if this is required for rentals, it should also be required for owner occupier properties and so what the buyer is saying is that until this is passed, they would consider your home to be unsafe for themselves to occupy.

the survey will advise potential buyers to get a professional in to inspect the electrics for safety or to ask for the EICR certificate.  not everyone will do this but it would appear these buyers have chosen to do so.

It's different for rentals though. Generally the terms of a tenancy agreement would not allow the tenant to carry out repairs so the onus is on the landlord to provide a safe place to live. It may not be in the interest of the landlord to pay for an electrician to check it frequently since they don't have to live there with the risk so legal enforcement is needed. A homeowner is able to get the work done if the property isn't safe and it is in their interest to pay for it.

that is the logic behind not enforcing these checks on home owners, like the gas safety checks.  that as the landlord does not live at the property, there is less incentive for him to make it safe.  however, if it considered unsafe for a rental property if you can not pass an EICR test, then i would say that it is equally unsafe for an owner occupier property to have electrics that fail the EICR test and the gas safety test.

unless of course these tests are overly pedantic and states things are unsafe when they are actually fine as home owners have lived there for many years and no one has died.

Almost all houses in this country would fail an EICR, make the adjustments then fail it again when the regulations have been updated. The reason its a regulation for landlords is that there has to be minimum operating standards as a business and protect the people paying for a service. If you are a homeowner its your responsibility for those MOS. 

dil1976

fenwick458 said:

the bit I don't agree with is the DB Requiring RCBO/SPD protection. that's the top level and mostly optional, this sort of level you pay for in your own house if you really want it. not the level you'd get a house to in order to sell it, really you are just interested in getting it to the minimum level in order to sell it
OP, get some more quotes "to make the electrical installation satisfactory"

Unfortunately any sockets that could be used outdoors is a C2 so that is a given now regardless of anything else.