House buying surveys

Deedoodee

First time buyer with zero DIY/ house fixing skills.

I’ve had a Building Survey/ level 3

I’ve spoken to some electricians re: EIRC. 

The vendors have a gas safety certificate dated Dec 2021. My partner thinks that sufficient and doesn’t think we need another one. My box ticking/ do everything brain is unsure. 

Are there any other surveys/ checks we should get? 

Building survey recommended gas and electric if certificates weren’t available. 

warwick2001

How old is the house?

If it is 5 years old, the electrics should be fine. If the house is 150 years old, it might need re-wired. What work has been done on the electrics, that you are aware of?

The fact the vendors have a gas safety certificate would imply its an ex-rental house (most vendors wont have one if it was not an ex-rental). So, depending on when the vendor stopped renting the property out, if it was post April 2021, they should have had an EICR already done. Ask your solicitor to check (if you haven't already).

Deedoodee

warwick2001 said:

How old is the house?

If it is 5 years old, the electrics should be fine. If the house is 150 years old, it might need re-wired. What work has been done on the electrics, that you are aware of?

The fact the vendors have a gas safety certificate would imply its an ex-rental house (most vendors wont have one if it was not an ex-rental). So, depending on when the vendor stopped renting the property out, if it was post April 2021, they should have had an EICR already done. Ask your solicitor to check (if you haven't already).

I’ve been told it’s owner occupied. 

House is 1930’s. Not aware of any of work done on the electrics.

Rambosmum

Surveys always recommend gas and electric surveys but they aren't always necessary. A gas safety certificate from Dec 21 would be more than sufficient for me. Re electrics- how old are they? Has the house ever been rewired? How old is the house? Unless it was rewired in the last 12months it's unlikely to meet current regulations, but that doesn't mean it's bad, or needs work doing - the regs change really frequently and you don't need to keep up with them as long as they're safe. I'd be looking for a modern 'trip switch' type consumer unit, modern light switches and sockets and then wouldn't worry too much. But depends if you plan to do work to the house or not and if it's being sold as "recently renovated".

Deedoodee

Rambosmum said:

Surveys always recommend gas and electric surveys but they aren't always necessary. A gas safety certificate from Dec 21 would be more than sufficient for me. Re electrics- how old are they? Has the house ever been rewired? How old is the house? Unless it was rewired in the last 12months it's unlikely to meet current regulations, but that doesn't mean it's bad, or needs work doing - the regs change really frequently and you don't need to keep up with them as long as they're safe. I'd be looking for a modern 'trip switch' type consumer unit, modern light switches and sockets and then wouldn't worry too much. But depends if you plan to do work to the house or not and if it's being sold as "recently renovated".

I’m not sure how old the electrics are. The vendor said they’ve not had any electrics work done and the house was last sold in 2005. I don’t expect it to be up to current regs. I guess the EIRC is more to check it’s ‘safe’. Sockets aren’t at the current height for building regs but are higher than the skirting board. 

It’s not recently renovated but does look ‘cared for’. I’m not planning any work beyond the remedial work stated in the survey and painting and replacing all the carpets 

warwick2001

Deedoodee said:

warwick2001 said:

How old is the house?

If it is 5 years old, the electrics should be fine. If the house is 150 years old, it might need re-wired. What work has been done on the electrics, that you are aware of?

The fact the vendors have a gas safety certificate would imply its an ex-rental house (most vendors wont have one if it was not an ex-rental). So, depending on when the vendor stopped renting the property out, if it was post April 2021, they should have had an EICR already done. Ask your solicitor to check (if you haven't already).

I’ve been told it’s owner occupied. 

House is 1930’s. Not aware of any of work done on the electrics.

Not ex-rental then. Strange that the vendor decided to check the gas, but not get the electrics checked. Heyho....

Given the house is 90 years old, and as you have no idea what work has been done on the electrics in that time, it might be worth asking an electrician to give it a quick once over, IF you are very nervous about it, and won't be able to sleep. I would just assume that work will need done on the electrics when/if you move in, and budget accordingly. As Rambosmum has written, if all the sockets/switches look new, there's a modern CU and there's plenty of sockets in each room, chances are work has been done recently (ish). And if the vendor is safety conscious enough to have a gas safety certificate done, I would expect the electrics would also be safe.

However, only a qualified electrician can give you total peace of mind.

Rambosmum

I wouldn't be worried then given your update. Electrics can last a really long time safely, they aren't something that needs upgrading every 20 or even 30 years. 

lookstraightahead

Just remember a 1930s house is 100 years old. You say you're only planning remedial work and carpets but it's worth taking into account ongoing maintenance (I don't mean renegotiate the price of course, but you are going to have to update as time goes by).

Our house is 200 years old and was modernised (of sorts) about 2008. So many things will need replacing here as and when we can afford to

Deedoodee

Thanks everyone. My partner isn’t too worried about the electrics. He said they looked ok when we viewed. The house had a homey/house proud vibe to it. 

Someone mentioned a drainage survey. But the building survey didn’t say anything about a drainage survey.

lookstraightahead said:

Just remember a 1930s house is 100 years old. You say you're only planning remedial work and carpets but it's worth taking into account ongoing maintenance (I don't mean renegotiate the price of course, but you are going to have to update as time goes by).

Our house is 200 years old and was modernised (of sorts) about 2008. So many things will need replacing here as and when we can afford to

Thanks. Yes, we’re quite lucky in that we’ll have money left over each month for maintenance fund. 

p00hsticks

warwick2001 said:

Strange that the vendor decided to check the gas, but not get the electrics checked. Heyho....

I don't think so - Plenty of people are signed up to British Gas homecare or similar and get an annual boiler service which will come with some paperwork that could be taken to be a gas safety certificate.

I doubt if many get their electricity checked annually as well, though......

warwick2001

p00hsticks said:

warwick2001 said:

Strange that the vendor decided to check the gas, but not get the electrics checked. Heyho....

I don't think so - Plenty of people are signed up to British Gas homecare or similar and get an annual boiler service which will come with some paperwork that could be taken to be a gas safety certificate.

I doubt if many get their electricity checked annually as well, though......

Agreed. But a boiler service is exactly that, a service of the boiler. A gas safety certificate is something very different, and will be an assessment of all gas appliances in the house (inc. hobs, fires etc.). Many vendors will service their boiler before selling and get a service certificate, not many get gas safety certificates.