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Original poster

Buyers wanting reports not previously mentioned .. help?

16 replies

countingdowntobedtimeagain · 14/05/2018 11:45

The EA has called today requesting a periodic report for electrics and gas safety certificate.

We weren’t asked for these with the previous sale which fell through and weren’t provided them when we purchased our house. Is this the norm??

Is it normal procedure for people to have their electrics checked every year and a report given?? I stupidly thought gas safety was mandatory in rented houses?

How much is this going to cost me now?

OP posts:
wowfudge · 14/05/2018 11:51

Speak to your solicitor. Ime if extra reports are wanted then it's up to the purchaser to sort them. Unless it's a modern house then the electrics aren't going to be compliant with today's regs but it doesn't mean they aren't safe. If you have gas appliances, do you have servicing records you can provide copies of instead?

eurochick · 14/05/2018 11:54

If you don't have them, that's your answer. You are not obliged to. The buyer can pay to have them done. Or negotiate with you to get them done if they are a deal breaker for them.

Aridane · 14/05/2018 12:06

Ha - I think you are the seller to a poster on another thread who wanted these certificates (and was told on the thread that these are not standard for buying, only for renting)!

Original poster
countingdowntobedtimeagain · 14/05/2018 12:23

Aridane - is that a recent post? I’d be interested in having a nosey.

EA are telling me it’s a legal requirement .. feel like they’re pushing their luck!

OP posts:
Original poster
countingdowntobedtimeagain · 14/05/2018 12:24

We had our boiler serviced by a friend who’s obviously qualified etc but he did it as a favour as our heating was playing up - a certificate wasn’t issued as we didn’t ask!

OP posts:
Ihatesoddingcancer · 14/05/2018 12:26

They’re pushing their luck.

We had to pay for electric and gas certificates when we bought ours. Cost £150 for both I think. We were fully aware this was our choice/expense to do. Bloody glad we did though, there was an issue with both!

Aridane · 14/05/2018 12:31

This was the thread I was thinking of, counting -

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/3244072-WWYD-No-boiler-electric-docs-due-to-complete-in-2-weeks

wowfudge · 14/05/2018 12:34

The EA works for you. Where are you? They are not a legal requirement unless you've had work done and don't have the certificates/building control registration, etc.

Furano · 14/05/2018 13:18

Not a legal requirement.

If you have had electric work done the electrician should have given you a certificate of compliance.

If you rent out your property you need gas (and maybe electrical I can't recall) safety certificates but not if you are selling.

The EA is ding a shit job if they are telling you they are a legal requirement!

Buglife · 14/05/2018 13:27

I got the boiler serviced early this year so I could say I had and show our buyers, I just googled gas safe engineers and booked it, took no time and cost £90. We have electrical installation certificate from previous owners from 2014 so we sent that to the solicitor but I’d have no intention of doing it for the buyers myself. It is up to them to check things they want checked I think (our buyers are now having 3 contractors coming out to quote for things they want done based on the survey so I think they are quite nervy which worries me!)

BobbinThreadbare123 · 14/05/2018 15:16

You have no legal obligation to provide gas or electric certs as an owner occupier. If you are a landlord you need them.

My buyer is currently trying this on; they wish to rent out the house but I am the owner and main resident so I don't need to do their job for them. I have told them to sort their own when they get the keys!

madsiemoomoo · 14/05/2018 19:50

We asked for an electrical survey to be done as the previous owners had been in for over 15 years and had never checked the electrics, so it came up as an urgent on the survey.

Our vendors were worried as we were FTB and I think they thought we were going to use it to gazunder, but that didn't even enter our heads - we just wanted to check that we weren't buying somewhere that was dangerous or needed rewiring!!

(Oh and we paid, it was for our comfort so would never have expected the vendor to do it!!)

Original poster
countingdowntobedtimeagain · 14/05/2018 21:15

Well I’ve spoken to my solicitor who has confirmed that it isn’t mandatory and who has called my EA to confirm this - my EA denied saying it was a requirement and claimed she was merely asking if I had one .. if she wasn’t forcing the matter why would she have given me the details for the company they use. I’m livid and will be having a strong word tomorrow! Thank you for all of your posts, you’ve all been much more helpful than the EA I’m paying £1000+ for!

OP posts:
wowfudge · 15/05/2018 11:15

There's your reason: if the EA is recommending specialists, they are quite likely getting a backhander for the referral or getting preferential rates on work carried out on rental properties they manage.

specialsubject · 15/05/2018 11:17

raise a complaint with the agent for lying. I also suspect backhander.

request for these certs is quite common in those who have only rented and may not know that it is not the same when you buy. They can get whatever surveys and certs they want if they arrange and pay.

tradervictoria · 15/05/2018 11:50

I was briefly married to an EA and am convinced there is no low to which they will not stoop to close a deal. Keep your eyes open, OP, this has backhander written all over it Sad

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