Selling house - buyers EICR report

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Hi All

I am in the process of selling my house. I posted a few weeks ago when I was trying to sort out my own EICR report and was given the run around by an electrician. I decided to get the buyer to do their own EICR, which they have done and it has come back with a few C1s, C3s and some FIs.

The C1s are

- No grommets in metal back boxes. Is this really a C1 given the sockets are fixed in normal operation and fraying of cables is very unlikely to occur?
- Poorly connected sockets by twisting cables.
- Cables in kitchen need various clips or trunking.
- Fire rated metal fuse board required.
- Fuse board cables not properly supported.
- Condition of insulation on live cable in lounge light switch.

The C2 relates to the boiler being wired into a 13 amp plug socket rather than a fused connection unit.

The items requiring FI generally relate to

- lack of an earth cable in the lighting circuits (including bathroom pull cord), although the sockets and fittings are plastic.
- poor connection of meter tails (copper visible)
- main earthing terminal requiring local electricity provider (?)
- no end to end continuity in upstairs ring

On the back of this the electrician has advised my buyer it requires a full rewire.

I would be grateful for thoughts as to whether this is a reasonable recommendation? I think I can probably accept a degree of remedial work is required to address C1 items but a rewire seems a bit OTT.

Cheers

RD
 
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The report is irrelevant to you.

It is up to the buyers whether they want to proceed.


The C1s are

- No grommets in metal back boxes. Is this really a C1 given the sockets are fixed in normal operation and fraying of cables is very unlikely to occur?
- Poorly connected sockets by twisting cables.
- Cables in kitchen need various clips or trunking.
- Fire rated metal fuse board required.
- Fuse board cables not properly supported.
- Condition of insulation on live cable in lounge light switch.

None of those is C1 - Danger present. C2 at worst - Potentially dangerous.
No. 3 (metal board) - Just plain wrong.

The C2 relates to the boiler being wired into a 13 amp plug socket rather than a fused connection unit.
Absolute rubbish.

The items requiring FI generally relate to

- lack of an earth cable in the lighting circuits (including bathroom pull cord), although the sockets and fittings are plastic.
- poor connection of meter tails (copper visible)
- no end to end continuity in upstairs ring
None of those is FI as obviously he has seen them without further investigation.
Well, maybe the ring.
- main earthing terminal requiring local electricity provider (?)
I don't know what that means either.

On the back of this the electrician has advised my buyer it requires a full rewire.
I don't know the condition, but that is up to the buyer.

Just tell them the selling price takes into account the condition.


There's no point you doing anything, they would only complain about it.
 
Thanks EFL, yes ultimately is up to the buyer. Unfortunately they are FTB and are quite inexperienced when it comes to dealing with contractors and evaluating an EICR - they get told a rewire is required and take it as face value. I was of a similar opinion to you when I saw the report but not being qualified to pass judgement I thought it worth getting another more informed view on things! It is a bit worrying that two electricians have been to the house and both flagged up completely different things, both somewhat spurious!
 
Sparks making work for themselves is not surprising though. I hope the trade does not go the same way as asbestos and damp-proof which have now become fear industries full of
unscrupulous cowboys trying to make work and jack the price at any given opportunity.

I would say do nothing at this point as per EFL. If the buyer falls into the trap of taking that advice as gospel you should sack them off quickly and move onto finding someone with more scruples. Don't waste time trying to convince because that's one of the weakest positions a vendor can be in. Ultimately you have all the power and it's your home to sell, not 'to flog'.
 
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That's life I'm afraid.

Either incompetent or trying it on for the buyer hoping that you won't know.


There really is no point haggling. You either accept their offer or you don't.
 
- Poorly connected sockets by twisting cables.
- lack of an earth cable in the lighting circuits (including bathroom pull cord), although the sockets and fittings are plastic.
On the back of this the electrician has advised my buyer it requires a full rewire.

Are the cables at the sockets stranded or single core? If stranded they are plus 50 years old.
No earth in the lighting circuit, also an indication of plus 50 year old wiring.

If the wiring is plus 50 years old it needs replacing.
 
"lack of an earth cable in the lighting circuits (including bathroom pull cord), although the sockets and fittings are plastic."

Is this "expert" calling switches - sockets?
 
The wiring in sockets is twin and earth single core.

He is referring to "light sockets" I assume (aka light fittings?).
 
The wiring in sockets is twin and earth single core.

He is referring to "light sockets" I assume (aka light fittings?).
 
None of those is C1 - Danger present. C2 at worst - Potentially dangerous.

Well, the last one (condition of insulation) could be a C1 depending how bad it is and whether it's accessible!

None of those is FI as obviously he has seen them without further investigation.

Indeed, although the copper exposed on the tails sounds like a genuine C1!
 
Well, the last one (condition of insulation) could be a C1 depending how bad it is and whether it's accessible!



Indeed, although the copper exposed on the tails sounds like a genuine C1!

Not sure about the lounge switch, its fitted to the wall correctly so can only assume the live wire inside has been overly stripped off perhaps?

I might take a look at the meter tails out of interest - not something I have noticed but yes I can see how that could be potentially dangerous.
 
- No grommets in metal back boxes.
Not C1 and probably not even worth any code as the cables not likely to be moving around. Their main purpose is to prevent damage to the cables when they are being installed.

- Poorly connected sockets by twisting cables.
Not ideal but hardly the end of the world either.

- Cables in kitchen need various clips or trunking.
They may well do, but there is no immediate danger. C2.

- Fire rated metal fuse board required.
Not required and not a code of any kind. If a new one was being installed it would need to be one of those. However this is not a new installation.

- Fuse board cables not properly supported.
Same as the kitchen cables.

- Condition of insulation on live cable in lounge light switch.
May be C1 but does depend on what condition it is in, what type of insulation and so on.

- The C2 relates to the boiler being wired into a 13 amp plug socket rather than a fused connection unit.
If that means it is connected via a plug which is inserted into a socket, then nothing wrong with that.

The items requiring FI generally relate to
- lack of an earth cable in the lighting circuits (including bathroom pull cord), although the sockets and fittings are plastic.

There is either an earth present or there is not. Nothing to investigate further.

- poor connection of meter tails (copper visible)
Probably C1 and should be repaired immediately. No investigation required.

- main earthing terminal requiring local electricity provider (?)
Unknown.

- no end to end continuity in upstairs ring
C2 and requires repair or alteration to avoid overloading the cables. Some 'investigation' might be required to locate the break in the ring.

On the back of this the electrician has advised my buyer it requires a full rewire.
The lighting may need to be rewired if it has no earth, although if the cables are in good condition and no metal fittings are used it certainly isn't dangerous and could be left as is.
None of the rest would suggest a rewire, most of it is minor items which could be fixed quickly and for little cost.

EICRs should have proper descriptions of the defects and also reference the applicable regulation(s) for each defect.
 
Suspect that the installation is TT and the spark is recommending an "upgrade"?
 
Seems to me that this electrician is not that familiar with coding EICR.
If you are concerned that it will trouble your sale, get a proper sparky to do a second EICR or ask one that understands what a code 1 and 2 is from the information you have, what it would cost to bring up to a satisfactory condition.

As a lot of what has been flagged up is incorrect or easily sorted.
 
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If the buyer falls into the trap of taking that advice as gospel you should sack them off quickly and move onto finding someone with more scruples.
IIRC he has peculiarly Scottish legal problems re that, and a solicitor who is siding with the buyers on the matter of trying to make him contractually responsible for putting things right which he clearly is not legally responsible for.
 

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