Close to exchange - unsatisfactory electrical report

simba_9

Hi there

We are very close to exchanging on a 1960/70s townhouse that we made an offer on the July 2022. After completing a survey we had to do a roofing survey and it was found that the roof is in need of replacement. We negotiated a 20K reduction on the sale price as a result.

The house was previously tenanted and has just recently been vacated so we took the opportunity to get the services checked before exchange.

Our electrical inspection has come back unsatisfactory and identified a number items with C2 and F1 codes.

Here’s a summary from the electrician: 
“ There are sections of the socket circuits which appear to be wired in cables with a reduced size without adequate fuse protection from overload. There are a number of accessories with defects such as damaged or cracked face plates and defective fixings. The fuse board has aged thermal damage on a circuit which can lead to further problems with the fuse contact. An RCD is installed at the main incoming supply which will automatically disconnect all circuits in the event of fault on any circuit.”

He has quoted a figure of £3000 to do the minimum remedial work this is without making good for decoration. He is recommending a full rewrite (at a cost of approx. £12,000) if we plan to carry our major refurbishment of the property. 

We know we are buying an older house and fully expected to upgrade and refurbish the house in the future but have concerns that the electrical repost has come back unsatisfactory and that the wiring may raise immediate issues once we gain possession of the house.

My question is it worth it going back to the seller to get a reduction on the price? 

Thanks for your feedback. 

user1977

If you were planning a "major refurbishment", wasn't that going to include electrical work anyway?

simba_9

We haven’t been planning a major refurbishment, we just knew upon buying the house we would likely want to make some upgrades over time. 

mi-key

All of those are pretty typical of a 60's house that hasn't been completely rewired. Most houses from that period wouldn't comply with modern regulations, but it was how it was done back then.

Assuming the wiring reported on is all original, it has lasted over 50 years without an issue.  Cracked sockets etc.. are worth replacing for safety, the rest isn't particularly urgent unless it is causing problems.

I would look at replacing the old fuse board with a modern consumer unit, that way the individual circuits are all protected with RCDs and get any cracked sockets replaced. Would be less than £1000 for all of this.  

Worry about old wiring if and when you have it all refurbished. 

ProDave

New sockets, a new Consumer unit and investigate / correct the "cables of reduced size" and you are good.  

But if you are having a new roof, you are into major refurb territory.  So a general upgrade might be well advised.  the worst part of a rewire is purring right all the disruption to the decor etc, but of you are doing that anyway.

mi-key

As for your main question, the house is being sold as being a 60s property, not as a 60s property that has had a complete rewire, so I don't think there is really any grounds for reducing the price, and it's probably not worth it for less than £1000 anyway ( bearing in mind the seller will get no benefit from this being done )

macman

How big is this property, how many floors? £12K for a rewire?

[Deleted User]

At some point you have to accept that you are buying as seen. If you keep going around looking for ‘faults’ and trying to get a (further) reduction, the seller may as well just give you the house for free. 

Or sell to somebody else.

RelievedSheff

At this point if I was the vendor I would be calling you a lost cause and remarketing. 

You cannot expect a 1960s house to meet current regulations.

FreeBear

macman said:

How big is this property, how many floors? £12K for a rewire?

Or £3K to rectify the defects.. Sorry, but I would expect a full rewire for that and still have change.

deannagone

I would also double check if the roof does need replacing.  Depending on materials used, I doubt it needs immediate replacement.  But you will have to get someone reliable to double check it, not just a roofer with £ signs in his eyes.  One gets a survey for good reason, but they can be a bit excessive when reporting possible problems..

As said already, if the wiring and electrics were so bad, someone would have been injured in the last 60 years.  Its just not up to date, and it would be silly to expect it to be.