Have the solicitors dropped the ball, or me?

[Suprima]

Ready to be told either way…

I recently moved into my property and have found out that the house needs a complete rewire, which is a surprise expense.

On the L2 survey we had done- it recommended that an electrician perform a safety check if an electric safety certificate was not available. I forwarded it to my solicitor in an email saying that there were ‘enquiries to raise with the other side regarding certificates’. My solicitor never replied and was generally hard to pin down.

When I did manage to speak to them, I asked
if everything was ok regarding the survey and they stated everything was fine so I assumed the certificates had been received and all was in order.

Completion day arrived and we’ve moved in- and have discovered pretty quickly from looking under the floorboards that some
wires have melted. A sparky friend has said that it needs a rewire. When I have checked the bundle of documents sent over- I cannot see the electrics safety certificate that should have been requested from the other side.

Have I been too trusting here? Contact was just so terrible and I just assumed everything was fine.

Is there anything I can do recoup some
of the costs?

I don't think you are "too trusting" - we pay professionals to do a proper job and should not have to be checking every single thing they do/or don't do.

I think you've confused survey and searches. The solicitor does the searches, such as checking the deeds. You arrange and are responsible for the survey or surveys. You could have had an electrical survey and could have tried (whether you'd have been successful or not is another thing) to renegotiate the price.
I'd be cautious as well about a full re wire. Is it really needed for safety or is it just inefficient?

Given that you chased it up, I’d say it’s on them.
I don’t read clients surveys but tell them to mention anything specific they want raising. I would then expect the seller to say no for electrics, at which point I’d advise the client to pay for their own test.

I don’t think you were explicit enough re electrics. It’s not the solicitors job to read every line of survey. As a PP said it’s their job to pick up legal issues. You can’t and shouldn’t rush a house purchase and you’ve paid the price of rushing.

I think it's on you I'm afraid. House owners will rarely have an electric certificate unless it's been rented out recently.

Unless you were very specific in the request from your solicitor and the follow up then I don't think they will be liable.

House purchases almost always come with some surprise costs I'm afraid.

This isn’t something a solicitor would be involved with. It’s on you to check the survey

You’re wasting your energy on this one. It was your responsibility to check this out if it was a concern to you and there is no way you will get compensation from your solicitor so it’s time to move on