Selling A House.

[JohnW2]

I'm not sure of the actual wording or law but if they can only ask about work since 2005, I don't see how non-notifiable work can be in their remit. Or conversely, if they ask about work since 2005, surely that does not include non-notifiable work.

They can ask what they like, but cannot force anyone to answer, let alone to give them the answer they would like to hear! I don't think one can expect the average member of the public to know the difference between notifiable and non-notifiable work, and this is reflected in the Law Society's standard conveyancing form ("TA6"), which (by omission/implication) asks about any work since 1st Jan 2005. The relevant section is:

Response (a) (which refers to a non-existent certificate!) is clearly the only one relevant to non-notifiable work, so one would have no option but to leave (b) and (c) blank in such a case. However, one could also leave them blank even in the case of notifiable work and, indeed, for either notifiable or non-notifiable work, one could also leave both boxes under (a) blank - thereby indicating that no certificate(s) was/were either 'enclosed' or was 'to follow' (i.e. one did not have such a certificate(s)!). It would then be up to the buyer and/or their solicitor to 'put that in their pipe and smoke it'!!

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

As you say, (b) and (c) do not apply (to non-notifiable work) and

there is no such thing as a "the BS7671 Electrical Safety Certificate".

Is that not what they call the Landlords Safety Check? - again, no such (official BS7671) thing.

 

[JohnW2]

As you say, (b) and (c) do not apply (to non-notifiable work) and there is no such thing as a "the BS7671 Electrical Safety Certificate". Is that not what they call the Landlords Safety Check? - again, no such (official BS7671) thing.

I assumed that they were referring to an EIC and/or EICR, but it's very poor that the Law Society cannot get the names of the certs right!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Taylortwocities]

If the installer is a CPS member completing notifiable work then the completion certificate comes neither from LABC or the electrician. It comes from the CPS scheme itself.

Untitled

• Taylortwocities
• 11 Oct 2008
• 14

LABC will only issue a cert of completion if the electrical work is part of a larger project that is subject of a building notice. An extension to a house, for example.

 

[DaveHerns]

The reason why solicitors ask these questions is that it helps increase their charges whether the sale goes through or not. They can't lose.

 

[JohnW2]

The reason why solicitors ask these questions is that it helps increase their charges whether the sale goes through or not. They can't lose.

I think that's probably a bit unfair. Individual solicitors certainly can't be blamed, since the questions exist on the standard forms which virtually all of them use for conveyancing. Furthermore, an increasing proportion of solicitors (and 'conveyancers') are doing conveyancing work for a 'fixed fee'. Additional questions (and associated work resulting from the answers thereto) therefore often means that the 'fee per hour' for the solicitor/conveyancer actually reduces.

I certainly do suspect that the answers to such questions very rarely have any impact on the sale (except for gullible sellers who allow price reductions as a result of those answers!). As I've said before, I see a lot of houses being sold, usually within a few months of purchase. In those circumstances, the answers given to many of the questions on the TA6 form (including those about electrical work) will be "Not Known" (just left blank, with or without an explanatory note) - since, as the notes on the form indicate, the seller is not expected to know anything about what happened to the property prior to their ownership. I have rarely heard of buyers even questioning this, and I don't think there have been (m)any cases in which it has materially affected the sale.

Ironically, buyers probably have more reason to be concerned if they are told that no electrical work/testing has been undertaken for at least 11 years than if work has been done (with or without certification/notification) - and that is going to become increasingly true as "1st Jan 2005" fades further and further into history!

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

LABC will only issue a cert of completion if the electrical work is part of a larger project that is subject of a building notice. ...

... or if (just) electrical work is notified to them directly.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

Sorry, didn't mean to post.

There was something left in reply box from yesterday and posted it by mistake.

 

[JohnW2]

Sorry, didn't mean to post. There was something left in reply box from yesterday and posted it by mistake.

I'm pleased to hear that I'm not the only person that happens to . It seems that even if one goes through the motions of deleting what is in the Reply box, it still may re-appear subsequently!

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

Yes, handy sometimes but not others.