Quote has arrived. £375 + VAT. Not too painful in the overall scheme of things I suppose and it would cost me more to contest it and get my own quotes anyway. It looks like the sale is back on track, however, I have asked my solicitor to pass on to the buyer that we were not happy with the way this was brought to our notice so close to completion. Won't have any affect but might make me feel better.
Selling house, wiring issues.
- Thread starter davecooper
- Start date
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Quite, I feel confident in saying the buyer and her solicitor would not have understood the so-called faults and may have thought them more important than they are.
Just out of interest - is the gas meter outside or inside?
Just out of interest - is the gas meter outside or inside?
As above, I would tell them to go away.
As its only £400, the very most I would do is agree to split the quote. After all, the buyer is going to get the benefit of this (needless) work.
As its only £400, the very most I would do is agree to split the quote. After all, the buyer is going to get the benefit of this (needless) work.
D
Doggit
Not at all. There is no requirement to upgrade a system to the current regs when new ones come out.
It would appear that Scottish property law allows the purchaser to retrospectively ask for payment to correct faults found within 5 days of the completion of the sale. Although an assessment of the electrics have been done, is the purchaser misreading the clause 4.4, (either willfully, or misguidedly) and assuming that although the installation is perfectly safe, it does not conform to the current regs. Clause 4.3 says that the seller has no liability for upgrading the installation.
The OP need further advice from his solicitor, whom hopefully, is also a Scottish one.
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That's what I meant.
4.4 would therefore cover the OP's situation by removing any responsibility from him.
I think the purchaser has been told by their electrician that the installation is not safe.
Has to be a Scottish one. Who will advise that they should just pay the bill to keep everything running smoothly.
D
Doggit
I know that, but if she's trying to pull a fast one, or does the electrician knows there's work in the offing if he handles it right, then it may not actually be "unsafe".
Hasn't you wife ever been told that her lights need to be topped up with lighter fluid by her garage.
Of course. But the report was written by a qualified electrician. We mere mortals cannot argue with it unless we are better qualified. In the meantime the clock is ticking and the seller is 200 miles away. And the problem just goes away if he pays £375 + VAT.
Of course they will.
£400 remedial work?
Personally I'd happily kiss 10x that goodbye rather than be turned over by an unscrupulous buyer like that.
The problem with just paying is that they will then know you will pay up to save bother rather than questioning anything.
Who knows what other 'defects' they may then find which they will expect you to pay for. Could end up being very expensive, and if the sale has already completed, very little you can do about it.
Who knows what other 'defects' they may then find which they will expect you to pay for. Could end up being very expensive, and if the sale has already completed, very little you can do about it.
And if she is just trying it on, refusing to budge an inch, making it crystal clear that you're quite prepared for the sale to fall through no matter what the cost is to you, could well make her give up trying to stiff you.
D
Doggit
But it would appear that contracts have been exchanged, and they are about to complete in 5 days, so the OP can't pull out of the sale. The OP thinks that he's being shafted having been told about it 5 days away from completion, but the contract implies that they purchaser has upto 5 days after completion to notify the seller of any remedial works that need doing. BAS and EFL, you guys are pretty good at electrics, would you say that the "faults" reported are just what you would expect from a 1980s installation, and should the OP just tell the purchaser that her electrician is just quoting for unwarranted work, and that he will challenge her in court if necessary - or whatever the Scottish procedure is in these circumstances.
They are very common 'faults' which are typical of older installations. Plenty are far worse than that.
The lack of bonding to the water is the worst but only if it's actually needed - a plastic incoming water pipe would not require bonding.
The 6mm earth would be standard for the original installation in 1980.
The rest are minor items of no consequence to safety or operation.
It's not really a question of expected works but more an example of expected inspector lack of knowledge leading to doubt about the point which might be valid.
I see while writing flameport has answered. There is nothing more which can be added.
I see while writing flameport has answered. There is nothing more which can be added.
D
Doggit
So if we assume that it's a metal cold water mains, then all the OP needs to do is offer to pay for the bonding, and point out that all the other "issues" would have been standard for the original build, and would therefore be considered an invalid upgrade as per clause 4.3 of the contract, and offer to make a nominal payment of say £100 to cover minor works.
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