Am I being an idiot?

TheJP

Stormchild414 said:

So all searches are done. Not exchanged. The survey I got done straight away and I posed the questions about 3 weeks ago  responded this week to say they wouldnt get serviced.   The wood burner installed recently but won’t/can’t provide certificate. No co or smoke alarms.  I can get that stuff done it’s just starting to ring alarms. Wasn’t sure if I should reduce offer to account for it or whether I was over reacting

If its important to you from a safety aspect then you aren't overreacting. Do as @edddy said and get the relevant contractors in to check them over, however I'm doubtful the seller will agree to any reductions so i guess have this in your mind that you may need to pay for the service of the boiler and any remedial work that may be needed.

youth_leader

I agree it is worth getting the boiler looked at. Is it oil?

We bought an 1847 property with an ancient oil boiler and one week later the whole of the downstairs was full of eye watering smoke - boiler had blown out.  Wouldn't start again, had someone in and it had to be replaced as well as all the pipework.  Main body of the boiler was asbestos and the fitter took it away - and fly tipped it near our house.  Not a good start! 

As for the woodburner being fitted recently, I would question why they haven't got the paperwork, especially as they know there are new regulations.

youth_leader

Sorry, oil fumes, not smoke.

Scotbot

I bought a 1960s property which had to  be rewired and replaced the boiler. Cost 6k and that was 4 years ago. Depending on the size of the property I would budget at least 8k. An electrical check will cost a couple of hundred. If the vendor won't allow it I would be suspicious.  Not worth doing a boiler check on an 8 year old boiler just factor in replacing it sometime in the next 5 years.

RoyalDad

I'm suprised your solicitor isn't insisting those issues are resolved.  When we sold our last house (200 year old house) we had to provide certificates for everything:

* Boiler Inspection 
* Had to have the chimmnys all freshly sweeped and certifcate issue.
* Log burner inspected and then pay to have an air vent installed in outside wall
* £1000 damp proofing applied to downstairs wall.
* Indemity Insurance for right of access to back gate

We paid for all of this ourself and without hesitation. I would want to know why the seller won't let you have anything checked - I would threaten to walk otherwise.

Slithery

RoyalDad said:

I'm suprised your solicitor isn't insisting those issues are resolved.  When we sold our last house (200 year old house) we had to provide certificates for everything:

* Boiler Inspection 
* Had to have the chimmnys all freshly sweeped and certifcate issue.
* Log burner inspected and then pay to have an air vent installed in outside wall
* £1000 damp proofing applied to downstairs wall.
* Indemity Insurance for right of access to back gate

We paid for all of this ourself and without hesitation. I would want to know why the seller won't let you have anything checked - I would threaten to walk otherwise.

You didn't have to do any of that. It's always a negotion between buyer and seller who pays for what.

RoyalDad

Slithery said:

RoyalDad said:

I'm suprised your solicitor isn't insisting those issues are resolved.  When we sold our last house (200 year old house) we had to provide certificates for everything:

* Boiler Inspection 
* Had to have the chimmnys all freshly sweeped and certifcate issue.
* Log burner inspected and then pay to have an air vent installed in outside wall
* £1000 damp proofing applied to downstairs wall.
* Indemity Insurance for right of access to back gate

We paid for all of this ourself and without hesitation. I would want to know why the seller won't let you have anything checked - I would threaten to walk otherwise.

You didn't have to do any of that. It's always a negotion between buyer and seller who pays for what.

I agree it's a negotitian and we were very good sellers, but the big issue here is this seller won't even let the buyer pay for their own inspection. Sounds very fishy to me and would get me very worried they were hiding things.

Stormchild414

Thank you all for your advice.;I am grateful to get other perspectives. I don’t know if I’m just having a wobble. I love my current house and if I could pick it up and move it, I would. I have now contacted service engineers and arranged inspections - just waiting for sellers to agree to let them in. I’m a little like royal dad and did absolutely everything for the buyers of my property so struggling with sellers attitude but I love the cottage and location I want to move to so just need to get things balanced. I guess worrying and wobbling is normal when you’ve loved your home and brought your kids up in it

Stormchild414

Sorry. Pressed send too quick. If they don’t let me do inspections that has got to be a big red flag so fingers crossed.

TheJP

Stormchild414 said:

Sorry. Pressed send too quick. If they don’t let me do inspections that has got to be a big red flag so fingers crossed.

Have you asked the EA why they wont let you carry out additional inspections? They could have had a bad experience in the past.