Just been involved in the selling of two houses in Wales, they ask the question any electrical alteration since 2004 and expect paperwork to cover them, lack of paperwork means taking out insurance, but that is far cheaper than any upgrade. When I could not find paperwork I applied to council for replacement, however seems it would take at least 4 months and involved basic signing of an open cheque as they charge by the hour to hunt for it, so in real terms unless there is a death no one is ever going to check what was on the completion certificate or compliance certificate.
So one house was mothers, no estate agents involved, new owners lived up the same street in a rented house, and we privately agreed as to any work done.
House two was father-in-laws, my brother-in-law was in charge, and we did all sorts, gas-safe inspection, and repair central heating, and solar domestic hot water, and we lived next door but one, new owners ripped out all we had done to sell the house, so all the works did not matter one little bit.
Our old house is being bought by my son, so all private arrangement, but new one was through estate agents, the survey was a waste of money, and we were supplied with an installation certificate and complacence certificate for the house, only to find when moving in it was only for the garage which had been turned into a granny flat. So very quickly after moving in the CU was changed for an all RCBO unit, if the CU had been changed before we bought it then unlikely it would have been all RCBO type, so in many ways it is better for the buyer to get the work done.
I had mothers house re-wired, as we were not sure if mother could return home, or if the house would need renting out to help pay for her place in a old peoples home, so wanted it so it was fit for renting out. Some work had already been done, new wet room and kitchen, so this was not re-wired, however there was nothing in the installation or compliance certificate to say these were not included in the re-wire. The new owners knew all that had been done, we did not in any way try to hide things, however it was also clear we could have done, we did one job which was really not required, and it caused no end of problems, we got a new front door fitted, and then found the builder was not FENSA so it seemed we would need to get council to inspect, then found only required if more than 50% of door glazed, and it was not, but getting work done in a hurry before selling is not a good idea.
This house we had a succession of builders, plumbers, and heating guys doing work, and it seems every one has been called back to correct something, this is not what you want when selling a house. Same with father-in-laws house, we paid a service contract for the boiler, then they wanted it flushing before taking over the contact, got it flushed and they were still not satisfied, and the sale was completed before they actually took over the maintenance, and new owners ripped out boiler. So all that hassle for nothing.
So only do what is really necessary, what your solicitor says is required. As really no point doing up a house to sell, other than making it look clean and tidy including the garden.
