Should the seller get the boiler serviced?

[Teenagerantruns]

So we are finally after many years of renting buying a flat.
We are 5 months in even though it is a short chain its taking forever.
We asked our seller to get boiler serviced as she has never done this and its old, she is refusing and im not sure why?
Flat prices have fallen since we offered, there is the same flat for sale in the block we offered on at £ 10k less, although it needs more cosmetic work
We love the flat we offered on but won't have money to replace a boiler straight away.
So what would you do? We can walk away our landlady is going to sell after we move and not bothered when we go.
We would lose about £600 in solicitor fees and survey.
We are cash buyers.

Well it’s annoying but I wouldn’t let it derail the sale! It’s about £80-100 to service a boiler. Pick your battles, and this isn’t a big enough one!

I have a carbon monoxide monitor near it. It’s in the garage

I would be concerned about buying a house where the boiler hasn’t been serviced in 10 years. Indicates there may be quite a lot of delayed maintenance that you’ll find after you buy.

and if you can get a similar (bar cosmetic work) flat for 10% less, I would probably be considering cutting my losses on this place.

But why would a boiler service change this? Also, a new boiler is about £2,k

You asked, she said “no”. Did you ask before or after she accepted your offer?

It tells them whether it's safe now so they know they won't have to replace it the minute they step in the door.

They've no need to, if you want it done you can pay for it.

You are in a strong position. I'd go back and say either get a service or a certificate showing the boiler is in working order or we will reduce our offer by £2k to account for having to replace the boiler. Over to you Mrs Seller

OP says it's 10 years old and the owner has never had it serviced. I took that to mean that it hasn't been serviced for 10 years, though I suppose current owner might not have been the

In a seller's market I'd agree with you, but that's not the current landscape. OP doesn't need a service to reopen negotiations. She can just say - since there's no evidence the boiler is useable we're knocking our offer down by 10k. take it or leave it. And the seller might leave it, but OP likely has better options than they do.

Do you know what that means? Because it's normally used to tell buyers to ensure things are working before they buy.

Exactly! The stupidity of having a 30 year old boiler and not having it serviced for 10 years is mind blowing!!

We sold our house December this year but didn't complete until early April. Our service was due the end of march and we were asked if we were going to service the boiler, we had been doing it regularly so not dangerous. I said we weren't but would facilitate someone coming in if they wanted to pay for it, we didn't hear anything else about it. On the other side, we knew they hadn't done it regularly in the house we were buying so that was the first thing we arranged once we moved in. In a previous house we did have to replace the boiler within a few months of moving in but we were aware it was old and had never been replaced. It really depends how much you want the flat and if you're prepared to walk away because of it.

Yes she has. She will have solicitor's costs as well to answr inquiries. Flats are not selling well generally and other properties in the block are being marketed at 10k less.
So she can say " see ya" but she'd be mad

It doesn't. It tells them it was working on the day the service was carried out - if it breaks down between then and moving in date, there is nothing the buyer can do about it.

Say you’ll knock the cost off the offer if she doesn’t and that you’re happy to pull out. She doesn’t have to do it, she’s not your landlord, but if you want to push the issue that’s the way.

Just be warned that houses are expensive to maintain. We bought our place in 2024 and the boiler is fine, but the roof has needed £8k of work, the tree pollarding (£2k), the bath leaked into the kitchen (£1k), insulation was needed (£1.9k). It never ends so be prepared.