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Original poster

How to know whether electrics need to be updated in a house when buying?

50 replies

CatAndHisKit · 04/04/2021 02:34

I'm thinking of offering on an 80s house which hasn't been updated for many years (vendors are DC of an elderly man who lived there), looks like it has original electrics. They are saying rewiring isn't needed - but how do I know it's the case?

Would a basic survey advise on this (homebuyers') or would it need to be a structural survey? House is solid and a semi and no neighbours in the estate has changed roofs, it was built solidly - so I'm not keen on paying for full structural.

Is there a way to tell anyway? The board with switches looks old and has fewer switches than my current (but much bigger) house - I think about 4 switches. Sockets look ok with those brass fittings.

If it does need a rewire, is it a hugely expensive job, and can it be dome without stripping all the walls?

OP posts:
Silkiescat · 04/04/2021 04:54

It's an EICR report you need from an electrician and that will give a quote for work needed if you want a comprehensive review.

Find someone suitable via here:

www.electricalcompetentperson.co.uk/

Cost will vary by type of property - ours was £288, 4 bed Victorian, London. Rewiring can mean you need to replaster / redecorate but see what electrician sas - ours needed £1.1k of works but no replaster / redecoration needed, electrics about 22 years old and included electrics outside. Homebuyers won't look at nor will full structural.

Silkiescat · 04/04/2021 04:59

If you are planning other electrical work e.g. installing new kitchen with appliances sockets in different places would mention it before they do work following EICR.

thatonehasalittlecar · 04/04/2021 07:02

If the electrics are that old, I would imagine you will need a rewire - doesn’t mean they aren’t safe, so the vendors saying it isn’t necessary might be correct, but making them usable for a family rather than elderly man is going to be a bit of work. You need many more sockets these days, and adding a lot more will likely require upgrading the consumer unit.

Chumleymouse · 04/04/2021 07:33

We recently rewired a house built in 79/80 , due to the amount of changes we were doing it was easier to renew the whole lot than try and work around the old wiring.

I removed all the old cables myself and there was nothing wrong with any of it age wise, most of it still looked like new after 40 years.

User0ne · 04/04/2021 07:38

Age wise the electrics are ok. There's the possibility of the home owner having added to circuits etc and because of the age it's more likely that alterations have been made and not necessarily by an electrician.

As pp have said you might also find you want more (and different types of) sockets for modern living.

The cost of a rewire depends on the size of the house, quality and number of fittings etc you need to factor in the cost of making good- if you're decorating anyway this is less on an issue. In total it's unlikely to be less than £3500 (based on northeast England)

Lassolarry1980 · 04/04/2021 07:43

@User0ne

Age wise the electrics are ok. There's the possibility of the home owner having added to circuits etc and because of the age it's more likely that alterations have been made and not necessarily by an electrician.

As pp have said you might also find you want more (and different types of) sockets for modern living.

The cost of a rewire depends on the size of the house, quality and number of fittings etc you need to factor in the cost of making good- if you're decorating anyway this is less on an issue. In total it's unlikely to be less than £3500 (based on northeast England)

No age wise not ok

Legislation has changed as to safety standards for fuse boards. And if no change since 80s - they won’t conform.

Chumleymouse · 04/04/2021 07:48

They don’t have to meet current building regs unless you are changing something, there must be millions of houses in the uk that don’t meet up to date electrical regs. It doesn’t mean they are not safe.

Lassolarry1980 · 04/04/2021 07:53

If the survey confirms that not adhering with current legislation, then it is likely that the mortgage company will withdraw offer.

Lassolarry1980 · 04/04/2021 07:56

If they don’t withdraw
They will make a condition of the mortgage offer that it is made legally compliant

eurochick · 04/04/2021 07:58

Where are you getting that from? Many, many houses around the country don't conform to current regs. Most are mortgaged.

Lassolarry1980 · 04/04/2021 08:02

Yes
But if the survey reveals a property is not legally compliant - they will withdraw or make a condition.

They can’t offer a loan on something that is illegal!

I work in Insurance. I have come across this more times than I have had coffee (currently drinking my second of the day)

Chumleymouse · 04/04/2021 08:13

It’s not illegal to not have an up-to date electrical installation in a house.the regulations change all the time. If the op is worried about the age of them all she needs to do is get an electrical test carried out to see if they are safe or need anything doing.

chimichangaz · 04/04/2021 08:14

I moved house in December and both my property and the one I was buying had electrical reports done. My house was built mid 90's and was in excellent condition but the report still showed issues (no urgent ones though). The house I bought is a 1930's terraced and the report showed lots of issues but didn't recommend a rewire. When I wanted to add extra sockets it showed that the current sockets were already overloaded and the cost for a full rewire was around £7k. The firm I used ended up installing a new consumer unit and having the new sockets off new circuits. The price was around £2.5k which included several new sockets, consumer unit and smoke alarms.

I would add that the mortgage company never batted an eye at the electrics report even though some stuff was classed as urgent. I agree with pp that if you want new sockets you are highly likely to need work done, especially a new consumer unit. Factor it into the price you are willing to pay but also consider how long you're likely to be there. Older houses always need more maintenance.

tanstaafl · 04/04/2021 08:14

Speak to the occupier and ask permission for you to have an electrician come and do the EICR, should take a few hours, they will need to test every socket and during the testing the electricity will be off for general use.

Ideally the vendor would get a report as part of selling, but sounds like they’ve decided the electrics are fine.

PigletJohn · 04/04/2021 10:03

"an 80s house which hasn't been updated for many years (vendors are DC of an elderly man who lived there), looks like it has original electrics."

It is to be expected that a house of that age will benefit from additional sockets, and perhaps a new circuit for the larger number of kitchen appliances. It probably does not have RCD protection to modern standards. You could have these changes done if you buy it.

However

PVC cable does not wear out, and nobody is required to rebuild their house every time standards change. 1980's wiring is not unsafe and you should not expect to chisel the house price down.

murbblurb · 04/04/2021 10:08

Surveyors don't do electrics, you ( not the vendors) need to get an e I c r done. As piglet John says, the wiring is probably fine. Replacing fuses with a modern breaker box is a matter of a few hundred quid if that. I live in a house with 80s wiring , had the fuse box replaced a couple of years ago when other work was done.

murbblurb · 04/04/2021 10:08

Oh. And I have a late 70s rental with a new breaker box , all was checked and it also has a clean e I c r.

Mildura · 04/04/2021 10:21

@Lassolarry1980

If the survey confirms that not adhering with current legislation, then it is likely that the mortgage company will withdraw offer.
This is absolute nonsense!!
NoraK · 04/04/2021 10:30

We had an electrical survey done which said the electrics were old, fine for the moment but would need updating within the next few years.
We moved in and they were completely unworkable for a modern family, lack of sockets in most rooms and such so we did have a complete rewire.

Jarstastic · 04/04/2021 10:32

Surveyors don’t do electrics. They will recommend an ECR.

I think electrics from the 80s are likely fine.

Given the cost of the ECR, personally instead I’d just get a modern fuse board put in when I moved in for not much more money. that would highlight any issues.

Jarstastic · 04/04/2021 10:33

@Lassolarry1980

If the survey confirms that not adhering with current legislation, then it is likely that the mortgage company will withdraw offer.
What nonsense. Building regulations change all the time. It’s not a legal requirement to update your house every time they do.
Cattitudes · 04/04/2021 10:45

Partly depends how long you plan to stay there. We are thinking probably 40 years by which time the electrics could be 80/100 years old. It made much more sense to get them replaced before we moved all our stuff in as it is a dirty job.

We just got the mortgage company to do a valuation survey and then arranged separate building survey and electrical report. This means that if you think the vendors won't budge on price and you have the cash to do the work in addition to the house purchase you will not delay the move. Especially if you would lose more in stamp duty than a rewire would cost.

Midlifelady · 04/04/2021 11:49

Goodness people- most houses do not conform to current standards and regulations! Nor do they have to unless you are changing it, otherwise everyone would have to do major work every time they sell! There is a difference between old and dangerous, and 80s is still a modern house.
Any NEW work has to conform, but you don't have to upgrade unless it is dangerous.

LittleOverwhelmed · 04/04/2021 14:56

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

mummabubs · 04/04/2021 18:14

Your mortgage may well still go through fine OP despite pp's comments, we're currently buying a house that was built in 1985- also an elderly male owner. The electrics haven't been altered at all since. Our homebuyer survey picked up that there's no certificate for it, but specifies that while we should get it inspected asap and it would be unlikely to meet modern building regs it may well still be safe and not require rewiring. And our mortgage was confirmed as going ahead 4 days ago... So hasn't stopped us!