Elec test cert - Is it really required to sell a house?

Elec test cert - Is it really required to sell a house?

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Discussion

Deangtv

Original Poster:

746 posts

220 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2016
quotequote all
I’m in the process of selling my property and the solicitor acting for the purchasers are requesting an electrical test certificate. I must outline that the property was built in the 1970’s.
I assume that the request has come from the fact the owners before me converted the garage into a TV room/ office. These work were done in 2010, prior to us moving in during 2012.

As you can imagine, I don’t have the original test certificate. Would I be required to have it retested?? I don’t believe it’s a requirement of the buy/ sale process. I could really do without shelling out for the test, £400 could go towards something else like a new bean to cup coffee machine for the new man cave

Muncher

12,219 posts

249 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2016
quotequote all
No, just tell them you will not be providing one.

speedyman

1,525 posts

234 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2016
quotequote all
£400 do you live in Buckingham Palace op.

http://www.whatprice.co.uk/prices/electrician/peri...

Deangtv

Original Poster:

746 posts

220 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2016
quotequote all
Muncher said:
No, just tell them you will not be providing one.
Exactly my stance

Little Lofty

3,289 posts

151 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2016
quotequote all
If no new circuits ware added for the garage conversion then it may not have needed any cerficates. If it did need a certificate and was done through building regs then you could argue that it wouldn't have been signed off by building control without an appropriate certificate. At the very most get the conversion tested, I certainly wouldn't entertain getting the whole house done.

Countdown

39,885 posts

196 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2016
quotequote all
I think Solicitors ask for everything just to cover their own arrse.

When I sold my house recently my Solicitor asked me to provide him with (amongst other things) covenants dating back to 1850. I told him he should have them already given he'd dealt with the purchase 18 years previously . Suddenly they weren't that important..... smile

skinnyman

1,638 posts

93 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2016
quotequote all
When we sold our house they asked for an electrical safety & gas certificate, we told them they were welcome to pay for one themselves as we wouldn't be, they didn't.

You'll probably find the solicitor has to ask for one, and then puts it back to their client if they want to pay to have one done.

Norfolkit

2,394 posts

190 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2016
quotequote all
Amazing what people ask for, when we sold our house last year we had a request from the buyers solicitor to get the central heating boiler serviced before the completion date (was due about a month later), we politely declined, not that politely actually.

dazwalsh

6,095 posts

141 months

Wednesday 24th August 2016
quotequote all
It should be mandatory if you ask me, nothing stopping a seller who has bodged the electrics handing over a death trap of a house to someone. Same with gas.

The last btl i bought was advertised as being fully rewired earlier that year, yet the reality was a new Consumer unit and socket plates disgusing very old wiring. The lighting ring didn't even have any earth on it, Oh and there was a flexible tap connector feeding the gas hob too!







Matt_N

8,902 posts

202 months

Wednesday 24th August 2016
quotequote all
We had the same as their survey picked up and reported that we had an old style fuse box.

The buyers then requested that we do an electric survey on the house at our cost.

We even had our agent trying to pressurise us into undertaking it aswel!

We said we are not prepared to take a £300 or so risk on a survey that you may then pull out of the sale over, if you want it you pay for it.

They didn't want to pay but kept asking us to, we gave them a choice, either pay for it yourselves or we are pulling out and will re-market - this was last summer and prices were very bouyant at the time - their offer was full asking.

In the end we completed with them having not done the survey.

EPC as a requirement are a total rip off too.

Matt_N

8,902 posts

202 months

Wednesday 24th August 2016
quotequote all
dazwalsh said:
It should be mandatory if you ask me, nothing stopping a seller who has bodged the electrics handing over a death trap of a house to someone. Same with gas.
Surely that is why buyers are recommended to fund their own more in-depth surveys?

It's their choice if they only opt for the basic valuation one.

SunsetZed

2,249 posts

170 months

Wednesday 24th August 2016
quotequote all
Deangtv said:
Muncher said:
No, just tell them you will not be providing one.
Exactly my stance
Or you could be slightly more generous if you think it might help your sale. Depends on the situation as to whether you think it will help or hinder the sale prcoeeding. For example we had this when we sold out last place and offered access for an electrician to do an EPC at the cost of the buyer and he was happy to do this (he was buying it as a BTL). We knew the electrics were original ith fuse wire (1960's house and he did too as he asked to look at the fuse box when he looked around but he wanted a survey so he could line up his electrician to get the work done ASAP to allow him to get the house certified for renting.