Do I need a Hetas Cert for 2009 Open Fireplace Installation?

[Lenny123]

Ugh. Am selling my house and solicitor asked if I have a HETAS certificate for a fireplace installed in 2009. I paid a high street fireplace shop to install a cast iron insert and slate hearth into an empty fireplace opening in my Victorian terrace. I got a guarantee but it doesn't mention HETAS. The fireplace shop closed down, so I can't go back to them. I called Hetas but they have nothing registered against my address.

Do open fireplace installations of a cast iron insert and slate hearth in 2009 require HETAS certification? I thought perhaps HETAS only applied to stoves back in 2009? Can anyone help?

 

[mrrusty]

Just say you have no information. If the buyer wants to survey it's their prerogative. They can either accept it or not. Their choice. When you fill in the property information form the best answer is "don't know" for everything.

 

[dontbelieveawordofit]

in the case of your fireplace ‘don’t know’ is the correct response.
i’m not so sure it’s the way to approach every q or a though .
could end you up in a belly full of trouble.
try and be as honest as you can.

 

[Lenny123]

Thanks. Well, it's not really a question I can answer with "I don't know". The question is have you installed a fireplace and when? The answer is yes. The next statement is "tick if you can provide a HETAS certificate".

 

[mrrusty]

To which the answer is obviously "no" you haven't got one. It's then the buyers choice what they want to do.

 

[Nakajo]

In the event that you don't sell the house, you might want to check that your house insurance remains valid in the absence of this paperwork.

 

[frutbunn]

There is no statutory requirement to have any installation carried out by a HETAS installer even for work requiring Building Regs. However the work can be self certified under a competant persons scheme ie HETAS or alternatively you can apply to a Building Control Body for B Regs.

 

[mrrusty]

you might want to check that your house insurance remains valid in the absence of this paperwork

I have seen this sort of comment so many times on forums, and not once has anybody ever posted the actual wording from any domestic policy requiring certifications for various work. My own policy (NFU), I don't have to even inform them of building work, modifications, renovations if the value is under £50K.

Has anyone anywhere actually got a policy that invalidates claims in the absence of compliance certificates? if so I would like to see the wording and know the company (to avoid).

 

[Nakajo]

I'm not aware of specific wording. But insurers have refused claims on grounds such as faulty smoke alarms, wrong number of bedrooms, and lack of documentation. For the sake of a phone call, it seems silly to find out the hard way that your most valuable possession wasn't protected when you thought it was.

 

[Lenny123]

Insurance not an issue. UK law says insurers can only deny insurance to the extent the breach related to the loss. So if you had a kitchen fire, they can't deny claim just cos your not used fireplace didn't have certification.

 

[Nakajo]

I missed the part where it said it was not used

 

[Lenny123]

No problem Nakajo. Glad for your input. I really am just looking to see if I can respond to the buyer by saying no certification required as open fireplace not a solid fuel appliance. If not, then we can just negotiate indemnity policy. But just trying to figure out the actual requirement.

 

[Lenny123]

Thanks all. All sorted now.