Messy wiring - Legal issues with selling the house

[NewOrder]

My parents may have to sell the house and I know there is some messy wiring that has caught us out in the past. All the wires from the CU are burried under the kitchen door frame and plaster above it. There are none accessible junction boxes under floor boards and where there is no cieling rose the lighting junctions consist of terminal block wrapped in insultion tape just left loose above the ceiling.

Am I right in thinking that it would be easier just to rewire the house rather than try and re-route all them cables?

If we sold the house would we have to point out the elelctrics needf upgrading or is up to them?

 

[Spark123]

It's your shout on the rewiring, if the wires are not in the safe zones it may be easier to do a full rewire.
If you are asked about the state of the electrics and you are not honest you may have problems.

 

[NewOrder]

Thanks

I have no intention of doing touching the wiring myself . I am sure I will only make it worse and I have no real method of doing the tests.

The CU is in the cupboard under the stairs, the wires all then come up through the kitchen door frame, and are burried about 1cm behind the plaster

If asked I will just say we had no problems but its 28 years old so will need a PIR and work will need doing as its a late 14th install.

Incidently is there any laws on alarm wiring? I have done most of it myself, a spark put in a spur from the lighting circuit for the power, I have just replaced the control unit and added a couple of PIRs.

 

[Spark123]

To be pedantic Part P covers alarm wiring - only really a problem if it is installed in a special location such as a bathroom post Jan 1st 2005.

 

[NewOrder]

It was pre part P so that is not a problem.

Why is alarm wiring covered under Part P? Specialy if the sensors are not even powered .

 

[Spark123]

Why not - part p covers all LV and ELV wiring in domestic dwellings?
Most of an alarm ELV wiring is non notifiable tho. It becomes notifiable if installed in a special location, as do things like telephones. (A kitchen is not a special location btw).

 

[NewOrder]

wow I can imagine that causing a lot of problems with alarm installation people. The wiring was done done in the kitchen so its not a problem anyway , there is no alarm wiring in the bathroom but I didn't know it was covered under part P until now.

 

[libby lou lou]

It was pre part P so that is not a problem.

Why is alarm wiring covered under Part P? Specialy if the sensors are not even powered .

Forgive my ignorance, if it's not powered up, is it just for show?

 

[NewOrder]

It was pre part P so that is not a problem.

Why is alarm wiring covered under Part P? Specialy if the sensors are not even powered .

Forgive my ignorance, if it's not powered up, is it just for show?

I meant there is little current going through the wires, as all none powered sensors do is short the terminals in the control box just like a switch. The current is very low.

With PIRs at etc you at least get a 12v supply being carried through them tiny wires.

 

[plugwash]

My guess is that they decided to lump telephone/data/alarm/etc wiring together first and then realised that some of that wiring may be dangerous in a special location (notablly telephone wiring).

 

[kensplace]

The uk has effectively killed off home automation, and discouraged diy inventors, with Part P (also ce regs etc).

It looks like part P was thrown together by someone who cant even wire a plug, its so messed up....

 

[mattylad]

Of course, (safety issues aside) you can just ignore any problems that you have with your current wiring & any prospective buyers would be expected to have their own electrical survey done.

Spending a grand+ on having your house rewired is not going to magically put the value of it up by a grand+, so if it does need a rewire then maybe its in your interest to drop the value of it by that amount after your prospective buyers have requested so because their survey advises them so.

As your alarm works was done before part p then any questions about it being in conformity simply get answered so, any prospective house buyers will be more concerned that it works correctly.

Unless you intend doing a complete redecoration in order to sell, you may be spending money that you cannot recoup as most buyers move in & start decorating anyway.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Spending a grand+ on having your house rewired .

Ha Ha Ha Ha HA

 

[NewOrder]

A grand might not be a million miles of the mark, there is no shower, no cooker (gas), the fittings are all new, so really it just needs a new consumer unit and a new route from the CU to the ring main (i.e not behind door frames).

As the house would be empty I bet its not too much of a job as the spark would be free to make as much mess as they bloody well liked.

 

[RF Lighting]

Personally I'd leave it and let the new buyers have it rewired.

They will probably knock the place about to suit their needs, and they can rewire the house to suit them.