Gas safety checks - new house purchase

NickB_99 · 30 Nov 2015

Hi,

Hoping this is quite straight forward to answer.

In the process of buying a house which was built approx 1960s/1970s.
Gas boiler is old, not sure could even be the original one. System has a hot water tank, not a combi system. Certainly pre1995.

No firm information received from seller on any service etc and my homebuyer survey said it needed checking, as electrics too which are also original.

From the gas safe site: If your vendor cannot supply an up to date annual gas safety record, you should get a Gas Safe registered engineer to check the gas appliances before you move in. This check should include the gas boiler, oven, hob and gas fire. The registered engineer will give the vendor a gas safety record which they should handover to you before you move in.

Is this at the cost of the seller?
Or as a purchaser is it usual for me to foot the bill?

For electrics, you pay for your PIR/EICR etc, but that report is issued to you.
This seems different for gas.

Would appreciate prompt advice - I need to follow this up tomorrow.

Agile · 30 Nov 2015

Unfortunately, that advice is badly written.

The buyer should ask the seller's solicitor for a copy of the boiler service record and if that is not forthcoming then ask for an up to date gas inspection certificate. Both at the vendor's cost.

If you have not insisted on these during your purchase then you will have to pay.

I always advise a purchaser to have the boiler serviced and a check made on the other appliances at the same time. That might cost about £84.

Alternatively, you could ask for a simple Landlord's Gas Safety inspection which is less involved and just angled towards safety aspects. About £65.

Tony

TCCHeating · 30 Nov 2015

Whenever i have done a gas safety check for someone that is buying a house. It is the purchaser that has paid for it. However. If it is a deal breaker I am sure that if you ask the seller politely they may contribute towards or pay for it in full.

NickB_99 · 30 Nov 2015

Thanks both.

Have only recently had the home survey - not near exchange yet.

I will ask via the solicitor and estate agent for the seller to provide something.

Hopefully something can be sorted amicably

Agile · 30 Nov 2015

Many solicitors do ask for something themselves but they are not clued up as to what to ask for!

So often just ask for copy of boiler servicing record.

Tony

Jackrae · 30 Nov 2015

So one is willing to pay maybe £100k to £300k or more for a house purchase but baulks at having to possibly pay a £100 or so to ensure the safety of their family. By the time the solicitors have argued with each other and sorted out who is paying for what you'll be charged well over what it'd have cost to just get it done yourself. You can always put a caveat into your purchase that if the safety check (within say 7 days of completion) identifies the boiler etc as condemned then the seller has a responsibility to pay for correction

Agile · 30 Nov 2015

Reminds me of a lady I knew and I offered to manage her sons fitting a new fence at the front.

She and neighbour had argued through solicitors and each spent about £2000 each on the lawyers.

Fencing cost about £230 and it took the sons about four hours to fix it.

But the neighbour came out when he saw us working on it and he started to help too!

NickB_99 · 30 Nov 2015

Jackrae said:
So one is willing to pay maybe £100k to £300k or more for a house purchase but baulks at having to possibly pay a £100 or so to ensure the safety of their family.

If it comes to it then yes, I would pay it, given the stakes.
Both electrics and gas have no paperwork.
I'm having to pay for the electrics check so I'd like some responsibility/compromise from the seller. Don't think that's unreasonable.

Agile · 30 Nov 2015

You have to take a view of the property based on price/value and what else is on the market.

There are so many sellers who think that they can sell a totally neglected property with out dated electrics and heating and get the same price as an up to date property.

If yet to instruct solicitors then tell them what YOU want to get such as gas and electrical inspection reports.

If the request comes from your solicitor at the outset then most sellers will run around and do what is asked of them.

My experience is that most buyers have no interest in the condition of the property and I rarely do the expected servicing and safety checks.

I do a few checks and servicing for the vendors after that has been asked for by the purchaser's solicitor.

Tony

NickB_99 · 1 Dec 2015

Closure on the thread -

Seller has agreed they will sort a gas safety check for us.
Sorted it via the agent, rather than solicitor route.

Thanks for the advice all.

Tay7 · 1 Dec 2015

Jackrae said:
You can always put a caveat into your purchase that if the safety check (within say 7 days of completion) identifies the boiler etc as condemned then the seller has a responsibility to pay for correction

Which will of course have to be contracted by your solicitor.

DaveHerns · 1 Dec 2015

If you had a gas safety check within 7 days and the boiler was declared dangerous , would you expect the vendor to stump up for replacing a 1960/70's boiler with a brand new one ?

Corgigrouch · 1 Dec 2015

DaveHerns said:
If you had a gas safety check within 7 days and the boiler was declared dangerous , would you expect the vendor to stump up for replacing a 1960/70's boiler with a brand new one ?

No but it gives the buyer the opportunity to allow for the work needed or even to walk away from the deal

NickB_99 · 22 Mar 2016

Hello all, update on this thread.

Now recently moved in.

The gas safety certificate I was provided with only addressed the boiler.
I have found that there is a gas hob in the kitchen and gas fire in the lounge too.
There was no mention on the certificate that there were two gas appliances not assessed.

Spoke with Gas Safe and they say that it comes down to what was agreed between the person commissioning the inspection and the inspector.I assume only the boiler was asked for.
I think landlord/rentals may be different, but for my scenario of a purchase, it is not clear cut.
I can't help but feel a little misled!
I asked for a gas safety certificate on the property and it didn't cover everything in the house or even just say there were gas appliances in the property that had been excluded from the assessment.

Any views? Am I being naive?

(I've since had a GS plumber round and he was satisfied with them, so should be ok from safety).

Tay7 · 22 Mar 2016

Naive.

Who paid for it? If it was the vendor, forget it and move on with your life. There is no requirement for them to have even done the boiler.

diynot

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.

Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

Gas safety checks - new house purchase

Similar threads