Cheeky or expected?

[RaspberryHartleys]

Advice would be really appreciated!

We're first time buyers. We have had an offer accepted on a property (yay!) The property is empty as the current owner was renting it out until Feb this year.

We had a survey done that came back with some concerns but nothing too major so we've added them to our list of things to do when we get the keys. One thing we did want to get info on was the boiler, the cupboard it is stored in has clearly had significant leaks previously. It was picked up by us and the surveyor.

Weve had the Property Info sheet through today and the vendor has said the boiler is in a good condition, has had no repairs and was maintained in 2019. Which I believe is mandatory when acting as a landlord. They've said the report from last year is not available however.

I'm concerned that either a) there were temporary repairs completed that are going to break down fairly soon or b) that the boiler needs significant repairs and is only not leaking at the moment as the property is empty.

To complicate things, the house is in a tier 3 lockdown area and the estate agent is now only doing virtual viewings.

I want to request that the vendor either produce the 2019 Boiler Inspection or pay for another inspection. Would you consider this reasonable?

In selling my flat I had to provide the latest boiler service. So i don't think that's unreasonable

Yes perfectly reasonable.

I would suggest that you arrange and pay for a boiler survey if you want one. The vendors are under no obligation to provide this - although there is nothing to stop you asking for it.

Thank you both- it's difficult to work out what should be on us to pay and what the vendor should really be paying for.

I'm conscious boilers are expensive and while I could arrange a visit by a plumber, it's going to be much more difficult with the restrictions and they havent supplied any info on what the leak was or how it was addressed which is making me nervous!

Crossed post there, sorry @anniegun

This is the bit I'm trying to work out. Is it on us or them? While I understand they're not obligated to provide the recent report, given the obvious damage, it seems in their interest to share it to show that the repairs were made. Which is making me think it hasn't been repaired. In which case, as soon as we turn on the tap or heating we're potentially going to have issues.

This buying lark ain't all that easy is it?!

I suspect they didn't get it inspected but are reluctant to admit it. For peace of mind you probably want to get it inspected by someone responsible to you (which means paying for it). Or assume that it is faulty and knock a few grand off the offer to pay for it. From the survey you could argue that was a fair assumption and they have not provided the evidence that it is fit for purpose
As always you should keep your eye on the big picture, these things are often not worth losing a sale over if you think the overall price you are paying is a good deal and its a house you really want.

Just bear in mind that if the owner gets his "usual" plumber out it's not going to be a completely independent survey since he is hardly going to report any previous bodge jobs are up to standard if he did them?

In this instance If the house is "the one" then I'd be inclined to get pay for your own independent survey. If major faults are then found then you have an argument to chip the price

Thanks both - interesting perspectives!

I know boiler services are a thing but hadnt realised a boiler survey was an option. Definitely something to look into a little more, thank you.

Cash is in high demand at the moment with a higher than expected deposit being necessary due to products being removed from the market. I'd assumed that the RICS survey would be everything we needed from a condition perspective but I think I may have been a little naive with that line of thinking!

Most surveys are done for the benefit of your mortgage lender, as they exclude a lot of what homeowners expect to see - the surveyor often can't check floors, roof spaces, heating, electrics and plumbing due to it being someone else's house, and a "proper" survey would involve disruptive actions. Your solicitor may well suggest indemnity insurance from your vendor, but claiming on insurance after the fact is probably more complex and long-winded than getting repairs done now, or money taken off the price so you can get work done after completion.

We're selling and one of the enquires was to produce a boiler certificate- we didn't have one, but quickly arranged a service- £100. I think if the seller can't produce the certificate they should pay for it.

I’ve just had my boiler serviced for my sellers. There’s no harm in you asking. If they refuse you can either push the issue with them, or get someone to go and do it at your expense before you exchange. They would have to be very stubborn though to refuse to do it for a cash buyer!

*Just bear in mind that if the owner gets his "usual" plumber out it's not going to be a completely independent survey since he is hardly going to report any previous bodge jobs are up to standard if he did them?

In this instance If the house is "the one" then I'd be inclined to get pay for your own independent survey. If major faults are then found then you have an argument to chip the price*

^^ This

@DannyGlickWindowTapping

Most surveys are done for the benefit of your mortgage lender, as they exclude a lot of what homeowners expect to see - the surveyor often can't check floors, roof spaces, heating, electrics and plumbing due to it being someone else's house, and a "proper" survey would involve disruptive actions. Your solicitor may well suggest indemnity insurance from your vendor, but claiming on insurance after the fact is probably more complex and long-winded than getting repairs done now, or money taken off the price so you can get work done after completion.

A mortgage lender will usually require a mortgage valuation, essentially a quick 15-20minute visit to confirm the property respresents suitable security for the loan being applied for. Sometimes it may not require a physical visit to the property.

That's not what indemnity insurance is for. It's to cover you for any costs related to enforcement action taken by the local authority. It does not go towards the cost of repairs that turn out to be necessary at a later daye.

I understand your suspicion. It might be innocent that the paperwork had disappeared but it also could be "convenient". However owner occupiers don't have a legal obligation to get gas certificates, so I think you should pay for a boiler survey yourself.

Personally I wouldn't want a dodgy boiler to stand in the way of my house purchase. They do periodically need replacing and unless you're buying a very new house, it's something you take a risk on every time you move. I'm not a fan of people negotiating down on these kind of ongoing costs of home ownership.

Hi all, thanks for your thoughts. It is really difficult to understand what is a buyer's responsibility vs a vendor's when you're going through it for the first time. I'm also the first in my family to do it so no real guidance there so thank you for your opinions.

It sounds like organising my own plumber to do a service on the boiler and taking it from there is probably our best bet.

Just to clarify, we're not looking to use this to drive down the price or anything - we just want to know we'll have heating and hot water when we move in!