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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to ask this of the vendor?

52 replies

Lookingforadvice123 · 23/09/2014 20:12

Hi all, this is my first AIBU but I would love some advice.

DH and I have made an offer on a house, which was accepted straight away - it was on the market for £140k and we offered £137k. The vendors offered to include the White goods for an extra £400, which we agreed.

We've had the survey back which has flagged up a few bits and pieces - the kind of stuff you'd expect for an ex council house of that age. One is the boiler - it's clearly very old, and the separate water tank is not in good condition and needs replacing. The vendors have agreed to reduce the price by £200 due to the water tank.

The boiler hasn't been serviced since 2012, so I've asked for the vendor to service it before completion. They've refused. Was I unreasonable to ask? I'm a first time buyer so don't know much about boilers, although Ive been advised that they should be serviced annually. If we have it services when we move in, it will most likely need replacing.

OP posts:
phantomnamechanger · 23/09/2014 22:39

I think a gas safety cert has to cover all gas appliances - so hob/fires if present as well as the boiler.
that they won't get it done makes me feel they know it needs a whole pot of money thrown at it! It might even get condemned!

blanklook · 23/09/2014 22:56

Seeing a boiler working and knowing it's been serviced and checked for carbon monoxide leaks etc. are two very different things.

Okay, you say you can't afford to replace the boiler right now, (budget £2 to £3K) so what are you going to do if you see it working then go ahead with the purchase...at this point for your own safety you must buy and install a carbon monoxide alarm... then for your own peace of mind have it serviced [or it develops a fault] then you call the engineer out and he says it's too dangerous to use and it must be replaced. Are you prepared to go through a couple of winters with no central-heating until you can afford to replace it?

We have our boiler serviced every year and if we were selling I'd expect the purchasers to be happy with seeing that documentation. Your vendors don't appear to have that, therefore it is of concern, faulty boilers can release carbon monoxide which is lethal.

I'd be tempted to say either they have the boiler serviced by a qualified competent engineer and let you see the results, or they drop the price by the cost of a new boiler.

Re you paying for their boiler to be serviced...I think you need to ask your solicitor about any implications of that before making an offer to do so. Is it gas? Does it have a gas safety certificate?

You seem very perturbed that the vendors may pull out over a possible £3k, how long has it been on the market? If it's quite a while I think you're on safe ground with your reasonable request for a service which they pay for.

CantSleepWontSleep · 23/09/2014 23:00

afaik you only need to get your boiler serviced annually if you are renting out the property.

I think that your offer to pay for the service is a fair one, and whilst I think it reasonable for them to refuse to service it themselves, it would be unreasonable of them to refuse if you are paying.

BabyDubsEverywhere · 23/09/2014 23:04

One of the houses we bought a few years ago had a rubbish boiler. We just signed up to the British Gas home cover thing, Its £20 a month to insure the central heating & boiler and a few other things plus £100 for the first service if it needs anything doing. They virtually replaced every replacable item in our boiler but didn't charge over the £100 and they service it every year in with the £20 a month. Its been well worth it tbh as they come out the same day usually if theres a problem.

I don't think your request was unreasonable, but its not one I would bother with if its a house you love - a boiler is small fry really in comparison to losing the house you love :)

wheresthelight · 23/09/2014 23:07

I am fairly sure they have to provide a gas safety certificate for the boiler as part of the seller's pack. speak to tour solicitor and the estate agent as I am fairly sure it is a legal requirement

ThePinkOcelot · 23/09/2014 23:15

I would be wondering why they are refusing a service. If its an old boiler, be prepared to have to replace it sooner rather than later. £137k is still a lot of money to be paying for a house where it looks like you are going to have to make a large purchase of a new boiler fairly soon.

CantSleepWontSleep · 23/09/2014 23:17

wheresthelight - sellers packs were scrapped in 2010. An energy performance certificate is the only bit of info that is needed now.

TracyBarlow · 23/09/2014 23:29

They definitely don't have to provide a gas safety certificate.

You can ask them to do anything you want to before the sale, but they have a right to refuse. Just think of it as part of the negotiations. You could ask them to drop the price by £2k to cover the cost of a new boiler but if I were the vendor I'd tell you to take a hike unless I was in a huge rush to move. In many parts of the country it's a seller's market again, I'm afraid.

Original poster
Lookingforadvice123 · 24/09/2014 09:04

If we had to replace the boiler straight away it would mean scrapping other plans we had for the house - like replacing the patio doors which are really flimsy and the lock is really tricky to use. So it would be possible if we HAD to, iyswim.

The house hasnt been on the market long, since the end of July. I know they had an offer before ours which was refused, it's in a popular area and the house is good value compared with others in nearby areas. I think I'm just a bit paranoid about them pulling out as we really do love this house and have already spent £700 on the survey and solicitors fees.

The couple who are selling have a young baby which is why I think they are keen to move, they're a young couple like us (late twenties/early thirties) and tbh I think their refusal to service the boiler is that they don't want the hassle/cost, rather than that they know something is wrong with it.

OP posts:
Nanny0gg · 24/09/2014 09:10

They don't have to do it and you don't have to buy.

Up to you how much you want the house.

And unless you've paid for a full structural survey there are always potentially lots of factors you won't have budgeted for that can cost loads.

Your risk.

wheresthelight · 24/09/2014 09:27

when we bought in Jan the vendors had to provide a gas safety certificate as part of the sale, perhaps it was the estate agent that insisted on it then. although dp had to have it done for the house he was selling hence why I thought it was standard practice

I would at the very least ask them via your solicitor to provide a gas safe certificate

ChippingInLatteLover · 24/09/2014 09:29

Do you have your heart set on this house or could you find another one that you'd be just as happy to buy?

Original poster
Lookingforadvice123 · 24/09/2014 09:36

Heart is well and truly set, it's the best house we can afford.

If they refuse our offer we will still go ahead.

OP posts:
sparechange · 24/09/2014 09:47

A serviced boiler and a boiler with a gas safety certificate are not the same thing.
Just like a car with an MOT and a recently serviced car are not the same thing.
My initial thought to them refusing was not 'oh they must know it is unsafe', it was 'they don't want to fork out for something they won't get the benefit from'
But if you are willing to pay, there shouldn't be a problem

ChippingInLatteLover · 24/09/2014 10:04

OK

If you will still go ahead irrespective of whether the boiler is fit for purpose or not, what's the point in causing hassle now?

Original poster
Lookingforadvice123 · 24/09/2014 10:32

Because we would rather not be lumbered with the cost of buying a new boiler/expensive repairs straight away - if the vendors agree that they will negotiate the price if needed, following us paying for the service, then it will be a bonus. If they refuse, we don't want to pull out, but if you don't ask you don't get!

OP posts:
LIZS · 24/09/2014 10:37

yanbu to ask but given that it was serviced within the last 2 years it isn't a given that it will pack up completely just yet. How old is it ? Most surveyors would make a comment about a non recent installation but it doesn't mean you need to replace immediately . Get it serviced on a contract when you move in or if you have the tank replaced.

ChippingInLatteLover · 24/09/2014 11:33

Well, it will be interesting to see what they come back with.

It feels, to me, like you have already said the water tank and boiler are issues & they came back with the £200 off which you accepted & they have already refused to get the boiler tested. It's all a bit messy tbh.

Nanny0gg · 24/09/2014 12:06

Just beware that if you keep on and another buyer pops up (I assume you haven't exchanged yet) they could ditch you if they think you're too much hassle.

Not right, but they could.

Original poster
Lookingforadvice123 · 24/09/2014 12:21

Update! The vendors have said they're happy for us to have it serviced (obviously!) but they can't commit to being open to price negotiations until the service is done and we see what comes out - so basically saying no, without saying it directly. Fair enough.

The good news is it was serviced in Oct 2012 so it's only been just 2 years - I didn't have this info previously so it could've been January 2012 for all I knew. We have said we will just proceed at the agreed price with £200 discounted, we love the house and don't want to mess anything up at this stage when we've paid for fees etc.

Thanks everyone. You might catch me on boiler threads in good housekeeping!

OP posts:
RiverTam · 24/09/2014 12:25

you've already offered £3000 under the asking price, anything else you ask for off or the vendors to pay for and you're pushing it. If having a fully up to date serviced boiler is essential to you then you should make that clear to the estate agent and right from the start. It's not up to the vendor to save you money. I'm pretty hard-nosed with buyers and I wouldn't do this, I would think you were taking the piss!

ChippingInLatteLover · 24/09/2014 12:28

If you are near me in the SE I can give you the name of a good bloke to put a new boiler in for you :)

TheHouseofMirth · 24/09/2014 12:38

Unlike other issues which may come up in a survey presumably you knew the age of the boiler when you viewed the property and put in your offer so I think it is unreasonable to expect the vendors to potentially take another financial hit after you have negotiated down the asking price.

boobyooby · 24/09/2014 12:39

Just to try and put your mind at rest, our house still has its original boiler in it, coming up for 30 years old (and was a bit panicky whenI purchased the house as there was no way I could have replaced it as soon as I moved in), the original people had it serviced every two years and we had it done again this summer. Boiler man said it was so old there was virtually nothing to go wrong in it unlike the newer ones and gave it a clean bill of health. I'm sure it isn't as efficient as newer models but it serves us well (and would have to have a new kitchen when we get round to replacing the boiler, so are saving atm Grin )

Good luck with the move Flowers

Original poster
Lookingforadvice123 · 24/09/2014 13:11

Not in the SE unfortunately but thank you! And thanks for your reassuring words Boobyooby. I'm amazed that people think making an offer under the asking price is the same as asking for money off, surely not many people go in straight away at the asking price? Not that it should make a difference but the vendors only bought the house 2 years ago and paid over £20k less than our offer, now that prices have increased it's very much a sellers market!

We don't know the age of the boiler unfortunately, I asked this on viewing the property and again before negotiating the price down by £200. The house is 1970's so worst case scenario it's the original!

OP posts: