I was wondering if someone could offer some advice and comments I have on this particular matter.
To try and cut a long story short, I'm buying a house and the owner has written in the property information form that the house hasn't had any electrical work done on it since 2005. However Google street view possibly tells a different story. There is some electrical conduit running down the side of the house in 2012 but not in 2009. The position of the conduit outside the house relative to two mains sockets inside the house suggests that someone has spurred off the ring main of one socket inside the lounge of the house, routed the cable through the wall, along the exterior of the building via the conduit and back into the house to the spur socket in the lounge. The socket appears to be powering the TV on the wall. I know that the conduit doesn't house something innocent like a TV aerial cable or satellite cable because they enter the building at a different point. So my questions are:
Assuming it is mains electricity running through that conduit and not something innocent:
Should they have a certificate for this work?
And what position am I in if I purchase the property without obtaining this certificate?
The work looks fairly decent to be fair: someone has routed the conduit in a manner that appears to follows rules and regs. But I don't know if it has been done to the letter. Given that it is metal conduit, I'm assuming it should be earthed too? I also don't know if the appropriate cable has been used.....
To avoid annoying the owner and keep the exchange smooth I'm tempted to let it go and get it sorted after the sale, but then why should I have to pay for it, and never mind face the possibility of prosecution......?
Sorry, I'm rambling, but this is causing me an unnecessary headache, and I wouldn't go as far as say as it's causing me worry, but I do know there are substantial fines, and ones that I shouldn't bear the brunt of.
I do have a surveyor performing a homebuyer's report on the property and have asked them to look into this as far as they can. Obviously they are limited as to what they can do and what they can check for. Personally I want to go and rip the covers off the conduit boxes and see what's inside... but I can't do that either.... I've let my solicitor know my concerns but have asked them to hang fire until I get the report back.
Thanks
To try and cut a long story short, I'm buying a house and the owner has written in the property information form that the house hasn't had any electrical work done on it since 2005. However Google street view possibly tells a different story. There is some electrical conduit running down the side of the house in 2012 but not in 2009. The position of the conduit outside the house relative to two mains sockets inside the house suggests that someone has spurred off the ring main of one socket inside the lounge of the house, routed the cable through the wall, along the exterior of the building via the conduit and back into the house to the spur socket in the lounge. The socket appears to be powering the TV on the wall. I know that the conduit doesn't house something innocent like a TV aerial cable or satellite cable because they enter the building at a different point. So my questions are:
Assuming it is mains electricity running through that conduit and not something innocent:
Should they have a certificate for this work?
And what position am I in if I purchase the property without obtaining this certificate?
The work looks fairly decent to be fair: someone has routed the conduit in a manner that appears to follows rules and regs. But I don't know if it has been done to the letter. Given that it is metal conduit, I'm assuming it should be earthed too? I also don't know if the appropriate cable has been used.....
To avoid annoying the owner and keep the exchange smooth I'm tempted to let it go and get it sorted after the sale, but then why should I have to pay for it, and never mind face the possibility of prosecution......?
Sorry, I'm rambling, but this is causing me an unnecessary headache, and I wouldn't go as far as say as it's causing me worry, but I do know there are substantial fines, and ones that I shouldn't bear the brunt of.
I do have a surveyor performing a homebuyer's report on the property and have asked them to look into this as far as they can. Obviously they are limited as to what they can do and what they can check for. Personally I want to go and rip the covers off the conduit boxes and see what's inside... but I can't do that either.... I've let my solicitor know my concerns but have asked them to hang fire until I get the report back.
Thanks