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Original poster

Electrical check by seller?

12 replies

Squooka · 10/09/2023 21:57

Hello all

I'm in the process of selling my Victorian terrace and have accepted a cash offer very close to asking price. I'm very happy with the offer and the buyers so far have been very prompt with all the paperwork and as far as I can tell seem to be very keen on the house. I'm aware I'm lucky to have such a good offer and am doing everything I can to keep up with things my end.

I've just had their enquiries back, one of which is asking me to confirm that I will have the electrics serviced before exchange of contracts.

My sol points out this is not a legal requirement but I'd welcome opinions on what, if anything, I should do on this point? I've never had anything done with the electrics, and I don't think the previous owner did either, so that's probably about 20yrs altogether. I've no reason to think anything wrong but am slightly worried that any service is going to recommend a complete rewire just because it's all a bit old. Can anyone talk me through the options or give any advice on what they did in this situation? Should I bite the bullet and got for an EICR or are there alternatives? If you are a buyer what would be acceptable to you in this situation?

Many thanks for any opinions.

OP posts:
CutesyUserName · 10/09/2023 22:26

Asking about servicing gas and electrics is a fairly standard 'enquiries' question. We were asked the same and just said no to electrics (500 year old house - no way was I going there!)

We did have our gas appliances checked over though, and supplied that certificate. Didn't hear any more about electrics after that.

Original poster
Squooka · 10/09/2023 22:41

Thanks @CutesyUserName that's very helpful. I've passed on all the info about the boiler services so they have that.

Does anyone know if there's a halfway house type check that could show the electrics are safe, but won't automatically recommend a full re-wire?

OP posts:
Laughingravy · 11/09/2023 01:18

I'm selling and the questionnaire about the property asked if I'd had electrical work done since 2005 and did I have the certification? So answering yes and no I got a EICR check done for £169. It seemed simpler than waiting to see if the buyer got one. In the end it came back 'unsatisfactory' but as DP is handy he sorted two of the simple issues - as instructed by the electrician. The third is that since 2016 all MCBs (the fusebox) should be in a fireproof metal box and mine isn't - them again neither will just about everyone elses with a pre-2016 house. There's no immediate risk at all, though if it was a rental I would have to get it all done and certified to rent it out.

namestevalian · 11/09/2023 01:51

I required my seller to have an independent electrical check done , I paid for it and it was my electrician but he had to arrange it

Wouldn't buy without one

ClematisBlue49 · 11/09/2023 11:55

I'm also selling a Victorian terraced house and had an EICR done a few years back, which I've passed on to the buyer via my solicitor. Interestingly the older wiring was in better shape than the wiring in my new kitchen!

If you haven't had any problems, a full rewire may well not be necessary and won't be recommended. It's a condition report to show that the wiring is safe as it is now - unlike a house survey, it doesn't cover what might go wrong in the future, as I understand it.

User19543785 · 11/09/2023 12:26

Modern wiring lasts years, the thing that may be out of date is the consumer unit, we had to get a new one fitted as we couldn't have any new electrical work done until we got a new one, Old consumer unit was about 1990 and didn't have the separate RCBs. It was very common in the 80s and 90s to use a RCB plug for lawnmowers and stuff like that because of this

Laughingravy · 11/09/2023 13:58

I'm insisting we get a check done on the house we are buying in the vain hope it doesn't need rewiring. I really could do without the mess and delaying getting into the house once it's ours.

DP is being far too sensible, pointing out the ancient fuse box on the sill next to the front door and that we can have nice wall lights and lots and lots of sockets anywhere we want them with a rewire. Like what does he know 🙄

SuddenlyOld · 11/09/2023 19:12

The buyer can pay for an electrical service if they wish, and a boiler check etc. There's no onus on you to do so, but it would be helpful if you did.

Fwiw we got our boiler serviced and sent a gas engineer to the one we bought at our expense £60 for each. We didn't do electrics on ours as it's a newer house, same for the one we bought.

Are you worried it might show a problem?

Original poster
Squooka · 12/09/2023 17:12

Thanks very much for your views everyone, that's really helpful. I think I'll go ahead and get a condition report.

@SuddenlyOld I'm not aware of any problems with the electrics here, everything works fine, but I am aware that they haven't been looked at for 20+yrs and was a bit hesitant about opening a potential can of worms.

OP posts:
MaybeSmaller · 13/10/2023 15:26

If the electrical installation is good (not a DIY bodge job) and is only 20-30 years old then a recommendation of a complete rewire is very unlikely (and I would want to hear a good reason as to why).

Any installation that is more than a few years old will throw up unsatisfactory on EICRs, simply because the standards keep changing. Nobody realistically updates their electrics every 3-5 years to keep up with the standards so this sort of thing is absolutely expected. The point is that it met the standard at the time it was installed and is safe to use.

johnd2 · 13/10/2023 16:04

MaybeSmaller · 13/10/2023 15:26

If the electrical installation is good (not a DIY bodge job) and is only 20-30 years old then a recommendation of a complete rewire is very unlikely (and I would want to hear a good reason as to why).

Any installation that is more than a few years old will throw up unsatisfactory on EICRs, simply because the standards keep changing. Nobody realistically updates their electrics every 3-5 years to keep up with the standards so this sort of thing is absolutely expected. The point is that it met the standard at the time it was installed and is safe to use.

An Installation is not going to be unsatisfactory due to it being designed to old standards, that's just not true, it's only non compliance that would lead to a danger that could cause that. Even no earth at all is only a C2, to get a c1 you'd need live wires exposed/accessible without opening something with a screwdriver.
Anyone coding a plastic consumer unit as c2 or above needs chucking off site without paying, it would only be even coded if it was on the escape route, but that would be c3 which means it's a recommendation and would not make the report unsatisfactory
See https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/professional-resources/technical-e-news/consumer-unit-mythbuster/
"If the consumer unit is located under wooden staircase or within a sole route of escape from the premises, a code C3 classification (meaning that improvement is recommended) would be appropriate."

Consumer Unit Mythbuster | Electrical Safety First

Consumer Unit Mythbuster From 1st January, consumer units and similar switchgear assemblies installed in domestic premises must either have their enclosure cons

https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/professional-resources/technical-e-news/consumer-unit-mythbuster

Harrysmummy246 · 13/10/2023 19:09

Our electrics tested absolutely fine when we moved in- we had an electrician check them. Only several years later did we discover daisy chained wiring and all sorts.....

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