Buying a house - no certificate for recent electrical work

[Ant3311]

I’m in process of purchasing a house, the seller disclosed they replaced the fuse box last year - it’s in a newly converted toilet (they didn’t disclose it). After survey, it was clear that the WC doesn’t have building approval, they also don’t have the electrical installation certificate. The seller suggested he would get a electrical test done and provide me with a certificate, then I was told through my solicitor several weeks later that they changed their minds and wouldn’t get one; they also went silent on the indemnity insurance. Contacted the seller again, they agreed to do the test, then saying the electrician is not available and now just went radio silent.

I’d like to get some advice on the best way forward. I know I can get my own test done, but i start feeling rubbish after being mucked around for something seemed to be straight forward, and concerned whether they are hiding something/concerned I’m finding out something much bigger?

If they didn't get building control for the converted toilet you might have bigger issues than the electrical test certificate. If you can't get indemnity on either I'd walk away....

Thank you! That’s helpful. Will I have issue with selling it in future (not plan to do so any time soon)? My surveyor said the work appeared to be done professionally & less likely to be on a DIY basis, as they needed to connect pipes etc…

I guess it depends how long you're staying. Buyer beware, and bear in mind you may have to pay for indemnity if you want to sell in future. Indemnity insurance isn't expensive. But it's a consideration.
How much do you love the house?

Don't think you can actually have a fuse box legally in a wc........

I can't remember where I applied to beforewe purchased, but there was an organisation a few years ago you could apply to for an electrical certificate. Might be worth seeing if you can still do this, if so, it'll confirm if there's one registered or not.

I'd insist they come up with indemnity proposals within a certain time frame to avoid any more messing around

Did the toilet conversion need building control?
It’s not difficult to get an electrical cert. The vendor should be able to tell you who did the work and they should be able to come back and certify it.

A new fuse board (consumer unit) is notifiable works to Building Control. The seller is on very dodgy ground. Do not proceed with the purchase until this has been sorted. Personally I'd be contacting the local council to see if any of the works have been approved.

Thank you. Yea I thought the same - hopefully by then it’s been there long enough to prove it works fine… it’s a lovely house, not perfect but good enough. It has a few other things missing, like no extraction fan in this newly converted WC, missing certificates for patio door and Velux window, thought they were not major - either can be fixed reasonably easy, or no structural changes. But I do have a funny feeling now given that the lack of willingness to even provide an Indemnity insurance for these…? Will try again on Monday with solicitors and EA… thanks for your help again!

I was told it was possible, but there are other regulations for the type of box used, and needs to be higher than the basin etc. so I’m kind of keen to get all these confirmed!

Thank you! That’s a very good point! What is certificate called, please! I will look into it! Thank you

He said the person is no longer in business/contactable… I’m not sure whether I can take his words on it… I have a feeling that he used something not registered to save costs. They probably didn’t have plan to sell when this was done, and decided to cut corner…

I wouldn't worry too much about the WC work. I bought under similar circumstances and just ensured indemnity insurance was taken out (I was told this covers the house so would still stand if I come to sell in the future).

Oh and the insurance was about £30 so I got my solicitor to arrange it to save any faffing about!

Thank you. You mean the toliet conversion? It was a cupboard before and definitely no building control - my surveyor picked it up as it doesn’t have an extraction fan and clear no compliance. The surveyor said it’s fine to use it & the work appears to be fine. He also thought it’s less likely to be done on DIY basis as they needed to connect pipes etc. I wasn’t too fussed about the fan as it can be done relatively easily and honestly think I have been very reasonable with what I’m asking.

Thank you!! This is reassuring!

We have a wc like this. Had a EICR done on the whole house to check all seemed fine and it passed with flying colours. Got an indemnity for the WC when told it looked fine to use.

The patio doors are also ringing warning bells for me as there may have been need for a lintel. All sounds surprisingly like the house we bought which all worked out in the end but cost us a few £k

@Ant3311 You need to ask the vendor to buy idemnity insurance, if not pay for it yourself, it should not be much.

Secondly, pay for an electrical inspection for the whole property - I would suggest you do this irrespective of the new installation, as it is a sensible course of action for any house purchase. A certificate to say the new fusebox was installed correctly whenever it was done, only will meet the part P regulations when it was done, it will not tell you if the electrics are safe there or in the entire house hence the electrical inspection - normal cost about £100.

Inspection plus indemnity - good to go.

Great thank you!

Is the inspection called EICR test, please?

Yes it is an EICR test

Thank you!

I had a similar issue last year and ended up getting an electrical installation condition report done instead. It helped reassure my solicitor and the mortgage lender.

I also used itptemplates.com to download a simple contractor agreement template for future work...made it easier to make sure everything was above board with certification expectations clearly written in.

You have to ask yourself the reason why someone would want to hold up the sale of a 100's of K house for the sake of a £100 test certificate that pretty much any electrician can do.

Either a) they are not really bothered about moving/selling or b) they know it's going to reveal a load of issues that they would rather not and are stalling to try and make you drop it.

The worst case scenario that an electrical inspection is probably going to reveal is that the wiring in the house is knackered and that the whole lot is going to need redoing.

Work out your exposure to this and decide whether the house is still worth buying.

Also think about whether if they clearly haven't followed the correct procedures on building the toilet whether or not it is likely they will have followed correct protocols on doing other stuff in the house (eg replacing electrics).

Personally I would not buy a house where people were ignoring the regulations without some very careful checks because it is revealing towards their whole attitude about being compliant with regulations.

Are you paying a higher price because of the additional WC?

We put one in upstairs. It won't meet building regs without expensive extraction - terrace and not on outside wall. But it's just a (mascerating) toilet for pees in the night that means the kids don't have to come downstairs.

If we come to sell, it is a cupboard. If the buyer would like it left in that's fine. Otherwise I'll cap it off.

It really depends on if it's a bonus extra or a full bathroom that has added ££ to the cost.

The fusebox can surely be checked? Again, is the house more expensive because of this or the same as those still in need of upgrading?

I don't really know what you get with a velux. A local joiner replaced ours about eight years ago. I don't remember any kind of certificate. You mean as in a warranty for the window or as in permission for being there?