Homebuyers report - G1

[enbe]

Just had a home buyers survey carried out on a flat that we are in the process of buying.

Had the following under the Electricity section:
"Safety warning: You should have your electrical installations inspected and tested regularly to protect your home from damage and to avoid putting your safety at risk. Guidance published by the Institution of Electrical Engineers recommends that electrical installations should be inspected and tested at least every 10 years and when the occupiers of the property change. All electrical work carried out after 1 January 2005 should be recorded on an Electrical Installation Certificate. Mains supply is provided with the meter and consumer board located in the ground floor hallway. The installation appears dated and some arrangements (electric fire in the bathroom) may not comply with current regulations. You are advised to instruct a qualified electrician to safety test the installation providing all costs for any necessary upgrading and rewiring. Condition rating 3"

I have no experience of working with electrics...what should I be asking my local sparky to look for? What would be a reasonable quote to get this sorted?

Thanks in advance

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[enbe]

Thanks holmslaw - £200 sounds reasonable

I spoke to surveyor who doesn't think it needs re-wiring

I guess the question is how much work needs to be carried out and how much that would cost!

 

[pjcomp]

The "safety warning" is a standard a**e covering clause, so that if anything goes wrong and you go back to complain that someone should have spotted it, they can point to said clause.

PJ

 

[Chri5]

A typical example of a surveyors report, they all do shoulder swerves when anything other than a new build !

Your expectation may have been for a comprehensive and full detailed report, which they just don't do !

They use binoculars to look at roofs and chimneys, won't climb ladders and check loft areas and never do any invasive work such as looking under floorboards etc.

Get a PIR done and ask for a cost to bring the system up to 17th. Then throw the cost at the seller as a deal maker, unless the house is so cheap you have to absorb such cost yourself.

Clues regarding ageing would be wire style fuses, older sockets and switches, sockets in skirting boards, no rcds in house, no earth bonds for mains water and gas.

Here's the link for a PIR report content

http://www.niceic.com/Uploads/File1944.pdf

 

[Spark123]

Not sure how competent a surveyor will be on inspecting and testing an electrical installation, as others have said it may be in your interest to have a PIR (Periodic Inspection Report) carried out by a competent electrician. It will cost but it will tell you how much work is required to bring the intallation up to current standards.

 

[OwainDIYer]

How old is the flat?

 

[Taylortwocities]

All electrical work carried out after 1 January 2005 should be recorded on an Electrical Installation Certificate.

That bit is total rubbish.

It has long been a requirement that electrical work should be tested and certified. Many years before 2005.

In 2005 Building Regulations Part P was introuced. This reminded us that all electrical work must be done safely ( ) and that certain electrical work must be notified to the local authority.

See //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:part_p for the grizzly details.

 

[ban-all-sheds]