Buying a house that had a full rewire in 2010, which wasn't registered with Building Control?

KeysMcK

I'm buying a 1930s house that has quite obviously had a re-wire at some point (sockets all over, spot lights etc). The owners say they had one done when they moved in back in 2010, which is great. 

I've checked building control and there's absolutely no record of a rewire being registered with them. There's the boiler install, the insulation, but no re-wire. 

The fuse box/consumer unit looks about right for 2010, RCD protected etc, so I don't think they're lying about having the work done. They've just not had it registered. 

How much of an issue is this? 

silvercar

As much of an issue as you want to make it. You could ask an electrician to inspect, you could even ask the sellers to pay. You could raise it as an issue with your solicitors and mortgage lender, they would probably ask for an indemnity policy for lack of regulation - it would be worthless as no one is going to take action on a missing 13 year old certificate, your sellers may or may not agree to pay for it.

Mistral001

Note new sockets and light switches does not necessarily mean a complete rewire.  It actually could mean that the sockets and light switches have been changed, but nothing else. No new wiring at all.  It used to be a favourite trick of some vendors to save them the cost of a rewire and yet freshen up the house for selling.  This happens not so much now as there are fewer houses with ancient wiring nowadays.  However it did happen with someone I used to work with 25 years ago when he bought a house.  It was a case of buyer beware and he had to get the whole house rewired at his own expense. 

FreeBear

Mistral001 said:

Note new sockets and light switches does not necessarily mean a complete rewire.  It actually could mean that the sockets and light switches have been changed, but nothing else. No new wiring at all.

If there are extra sockets, and the job was done on the cheap, it might be a case of a spur on a spur on a spur - Would be prudent to have an EICR done. Depending on the result of the report, budget for a rewire.

Mistral001

FreeBear said:

Mistral001 said:

Note new sockets and light switches does not necessarily mean a complete rewire.  It actually could mean that the sockets and light switches have been changed, but nothing else. No new wiring at all.

If there are extra sockets, and the job was done on the cheap, it might be a case of a spur on a spur on a spur - Would be prudent to have an EICR done. Depending on the result of the report, budget for a rewire.

I reread the original post and  I agree that what you have flagged could be a possibility and hence not compliant.  My understanding is that a single spur is OK but when it comes to two or more, there could be problems.

KeysMcK

Thanks all - they've ticked on the TA6 that they have had wiring done, and in enquiries that it was a full re-wire, so without certificates I'm sure my conveyancer will catch it... I'm hoping they push the seller to get the EICR done too, but I can't see that happening. 

I've been told that we wouldn't be able to rent the house out without building control checking the wiring. We didn't plan on doing so, but it's still annoying. The price of plaster and flooring these days, there's no chance I'm having the cables looked at closely!

CSI_Yorkshire

KeysMcK said:

Thanks all - they've ticked on the TA6 that they have had wiring done, and in enquiries that it was a full re-wire, so without certificates I'm sure my conveyancer will catch it... I'm hoping they push the seller to get the EICR done too, but I can't see that happening. 

I've been told that we wouldn't be able to rent the house out without building control checking the wiring. We didn't plan on doing so, but it's still annoying. The price of plaster and flooring these days, there's no chance I'm having the cables looked at closely!

Don't hope they push the seller - tell them to push the seller.

I think that the requirement to rent the house out is a "satisfactory" EICR - not part P notification - but I'm no landlord.

DRP

Fairly sure they will expect some pushback given what they put on the forms. Don’t mess about with indemnities, ask them to get an inspection done. 

Jonboy_1984

Had similar when I sold, had a shower installed without any paperwork. Had an EICR done ended up paying for the remedial work it flagged before exchange. 

Personally would have wanted a discount and organised the remedial work myself, so I had the choice of contractors and benefit of any warranty etc.

35har1old

KeysMcK said:

Thanks all - they've ticked on the TA6 that they have had wiring done, and in enquiries that it was a full re-wire, so without certificates I'm sure my conveyancer will catch it... I'm hoping they push the seller to get the EICR done too, but I can't see that happening. 

I've been told that we wouldn't be able to rent the house out without building control checking the wiring. We didn't plan on doing so, but it's still annoying. The price of plaster and flooring these days, there's no chance I'm having the cables looked at closely!

Is a EICR a legal requirement to sell.
EICR doesn’t  involve any envaise checks ie lifting floor boards our chipping plaster
They only sample a number of sockets and light fittings and after isolating the system they run a test

ThisIsWeird

If the vendor hadn't claimed they'd carried out this rewire, what would you have done? Added a check to your home inspection? 
Anyhoo, 2010 is a few years after the new harmonised colours were introduced, so I'd imagine it should be the easiest check to carry out.