Rusty radiators - house survey

[mae87]

We've just had the survey back for the house we are in the process of buying. A few urgent fixes suggested by the surveyor, which we will definitely raise with the vendor, but the surveyor has also noted that there is rust on the radiators and they are at end of life. The boiler is also flagged as nearing end of life.

Is this something to be expected when buying a house and we should just expect to swallow the costs, or would we be able to go back to the seller and raise this as an issue?

It depends on the house, really.

If it's being sold as a refurb, ready to move in, and is priced accordingly, but the radiator issue is indicative of the work having been done on the cheap without addressing the fundamentals, then I'd expect to renegotiate.

If it's being sold as a project or a "doer upper" then I'd see this as part of that package and expect it to be priced in.

If the extent of the work needed has an impact on your ability to afford this house, then there's no harm in asking about the price in any case. Good luck!

You don't say how old the house is, or how old the radiators are.

Like people and horses, houses need constant looking after, more so with age.

Rusty radiators suggest lack of maintenance, if they are rusting from the inside outwards. When/if you have the boiler replaced of repaired you will need a powerflush, new radiators, and a magnetic filter. This is not unusual if the system is old. It can be avoided with better care.

I have also seen radiators rusting from the outside, in a steamy bathroom or kitchen where the barmy householders screwed the valves tightly shut and wouldn't use extractor fans, so they got wet with condensation. This is also avoidable, but they have to be replaced if rusty. This is usually worst on the bottom seam.

If you are buying an old and neglected house your offer should reflect that fact.

Our radiators started rusting from the outside in after 2 years, just after the warranty was up. They were poorly finished rubbish and a bad buy. To replace radiators isn't a massive job.

The boiler is more of a biggie than the radiators which are very easy and not that expensive to replace. I'd start asking the sellers questions about the boiler, when was it installed, last serviced etc etc. In our current house the boiler blew up in November 3 months after we moved in. Not great with 2 toddlers. It's still going 22 years later and I'm hoping will keep going for a couple more years by which time we should be building the extension we are currently planning. So may be worth questioning the surveyor about why he thinks it's reaching the end of its working life.

Replacing radiators is not a particularly expensive job, but the fact they are rusty would to me indicate that there might be neglect of other hidden stuff such as plumbing and electrics

I've only ever lived in houses that have a bit of rust on the radiators. I thought it was normal. Whoops

Where?

It doesn't cost much to replace rads or the boiler really - I wouldn't expect to renegotiate price unless it was something totally unexpected and costing at least £5k. But that's me - unless a new build no house is pristine.