Utilities Switch On

[rich_vw]

Again sorry if this sounds a daft question,

Purchase is going through in a couple of weeks, the house has been 'switched off' for about 3 months, is it just a matter of contacting the prefered utilities companies on the day of purchase / completion or are advanced conversations needed?? (Gas. Elec & water)

Tried looking on the FAQ's on Eon but no luck.

Thanks,

R

[Manks]

rich_vw said:

Again sorry if this sounds a daft question,

Purchase is going through in a couple of weeks, the house has been 'switched off' for about 3 months, is it just a matter of contacting the prefered utilities companies on the day of purchase / completion or are advanced conversations needed?? (Gas. Elec & water)

Tried looking on the FAQ's on Eon but no luck.

Thanks,

R

If it really has been "switched off" you need to have a dialogue as early as possible. It is possible that the gas has been capped, meter removed, pre-pay meter fitted, water switched off... any one of a number of things.

There is also the problem that the utility suppliers might refuse to reconnect because they don't like what is connected to their supply.

And there may be charges.

BUT, it is not normal for a property to have been "switched off" unless there's been something rum going on or it is semi-derelict.

[rich_vw]

Apparently it's not been....there's some switches some where that I need to find, god this is confusing!!!

[amirzed]

has this with the leccy in a place a few years back, after a call to a utility co. they came and told me to flick the switch on at the rcd board.

I'd try that first if i was you..

[rich_vw]

amirzed said:

has this with the leccy in a place a few years back, after a call to a utility co. they came and told me to flick the switch on at the rcd board.

I'd try that first if i was you..

Will give this a go tomorrow, feel a bit stupid asking now lol

[andy43]

rich_vw said:

Apparently it's not been....there's some switches some where that I need to find, god this is confusing!!!

4th row, on the right. Usually.

[Manks]

rich_vw said:

Again sorry if this sounds a daft question,

Purchase is going through in a couple of weeks, the house has been 'switched off' for about 3 months, is it just a matter of contacting the prefered utilities companies on the day of purchase / completion or are advanced conversations needed?? (Gas. Elec & water)

Tried looking on the FAQ's on Eon but no luck.

Thanks,

R

Oh, THAT sort of switched off. That's not "SWITCHED OFF" it's likely just the main switch where the electricity supply arrives in the building has been flicked.

Look at this page Here


Somewhere in your house you'll have a meter and it will have a fuse or RCD board near it. There will be a switch marked "on" and "off" which may well be red coloured. If it's off, switch it on.

Sorry, I assumed that you knew the basics and that the house had been disconnected from services.

[rich_vw]

Manks said:

rich_vw said:

Again sorry if this sounds a daft question,

Purchase is going through in a couple of weeks, the house has been 'switched off' for about 3 months, is it just a matter of contacting the prefered utilities companies on the day of purchase / completion or are advanced conversations needed?? (Gas. Elec & water)

Tried looking on the FAQ's on Eon but no luck.

Thanks,

R

Oh, THAT sort of switched off. That's not "SWITCHED OFF" it's likely just the main switch where the electricity supply arrives in the building has been flicked.

Look at this page Here


Somewhere in your house you'll have a meter and it will have a fuse or RCD board near it. There will be a switch marked "on" and "off" which may well be red coloured. If it's off, switch it on.

Sorry, I assumed that you knew the basics and that the house had been disconnected from services.

I do know the basics, work in construction but the house has very old wiring and was told it's Switched Off good and proper, now see the estate agent was a little scared to play with any switches. Please note I'm new to this house buying game so simple things like this I've never had to deal with.

[anonymous-user]

rich_vw said:

Manks said:

rich_vw said:

Again sorry if this sounds a daft question,

Purchase is going through in a couple of weeks, the house has been 'switched off' for about 3 months, is it just a matter of contacting the prefered utilities companies on the day of purchase / completion or are advanced conversations needed?? (Gas. Elec & water)

Tried looking on the FAQ's on Eon but no luck.

Thanks,

R

Oh, THAT sort of switched off. That's not "SWITCHED OFF" it's likely just the main switch where the electricity supply arrives in the building has been flicked.

Look at this page Here


Somewhere in your house you'll have a meter and it will have a fuse or RCD board near it. There will be a switch marked "on" and "off" which may well be red coloured. If it's off, switch it on.

Sorry, I assumed that you knew the basics and that the house had been disconnected from services.

I do know the basics, work in construction but the house has very old wiring and was told it's Switched Off good and proper, now see the estate agent was a little scared to play with any switches. Please note I'm new to this house buying game so simple things like this I've never had to deal with.

So you've bought a house without checking that any of the utilities actually work? You are a very brave man!! I hope it all works out well for you, but you could very easily end up with a bill running into thousands if you have no warrantys (and you normally don't) stating that they are in good working order.

[Manks]

rich_vw said:

Manks said:

rich_vw said:

Again sorry if this sounds a daft question,

Purchase is going through in a couple of weeks, the house has been 'switched off' for about 3 months, is it just a matter of contacting the prefered utilities companies on the day of purchase / completion or are advanced conversations needed?? (Gas. Elec & water)

Tried looking on the FAQ's on Eon but no luck.

Thanks,

R

Oh, THAT sort of switched off. That's not "SWITCHED OFF" it's likely just the main switch where the electricity supply arrives in the building has been flicked.

Look at this page Here


Somewhere in your house you'll have a meter and it will have a fuse or RCD board near it. There will be a switch marked "on" and "off" which may well be red coloured. If it's off, switch it on.

Sorry, I assumed that you knew the basics and that the house had been disconnected from services.

I do know the basics, work in construction but the house has very old wiring and was told it's Switched Off good and proper, now see the estate agent was a little scared to play with any switches. Please note I'm new to this house buying game so simple things like this I've never had to deal with.

To be honest, your paragraph above is a bit contradictory. You say you know the basics but give the impression that you don't.

If you are still pre-purchase, if there is a chance that the property is not connected to utility supplies it is a job for your conveyancing solicitor. Why? Because if it is not, you may have costs over and above the normal and it is his / her job to ensure that the client does not incur unexpected costs associated with the property. Unless you are buying it "as seen", which I think most solicitors would advise against given that you are new to all this.

Given that you are unsure, ask your solicitor to make a specific enquiry along the lines of: "Please confirm that gas, electricty and water supplies to the property exist and are in working order, including any metering devices connected thereto". Though there is probably already a slightly less specific enquiry in place as a matter of course. If the seller says supplies are there and working and they are not, you can claim against them.

If, however, you have somehow bought the place without checking that utility supplies are there and working you are pretty much at the mercy of lady luck and Transco et al. You need to get in and check what's there. See if you've got meters, see if the gas is capped or just switched off. See if the power main switch is thrown. If the water is off it may just be off at the cock in the road.

There are so many variables and the upshot of not knowing the score before purchase can be delays and big bills. If there is no power or water to site you are going to be limited in what you can do until there is.

Edited by Manks on Friday 15th October 11:29

[rich_vw]

Just for clarity here...

The property requires a full re-wire and re-plumb so I'm not fussed as to whether they work or not, all I was trying to identify was how easy it was to get the mains switched on.

It was my presumption that the utility companies cut off supplies to properties that are no longer in use e.g. old lady dies and house is vacant for 3 - 6 months prior to sale. I was not aware they did not unless specifically requested.

In this case due to my lack of understanding it appears that gas, elec and water are still 'connected' to the property although are switched off at points I've not yet tried identified or tried to switch on.

As I've mentioned I'm new to the house buying world and although I have been involved in countless construction project from feasability to hand over I've never had to deal with utilities and connects etc.

So appologies for any confusion.

R

[Manks]

rich_vw said:

Just for clarity here...

The property requires a full re-wire and re-plumb so I'm not fussed as to whether they work or not, all I was trying to identify was how easy it was to get the mains switched on.

It was my presumption that the utility companies cut off supplies to properties that are no longer in use e.g. old lady dies and house is vacant for 3 - 6 months prior to sale. I was not aware they did not unless specifically requested.

In this case due to my lack of understanding it appears that gas, elec and water are still 'connected' to the property although are switched off at points I've not yet tried identified or tried to switch on.

As I've mentioned I'm new to the house buying world and although I have been involved in countless construction project from feasability to hand over I've never had to deal with utilities and connects etc.

So appologies for any confusion.

R

Have you exchanged / completed or are you still in the buying process?

It is unlikely that the energy supplied have been disconnected. But as I said if you have not yet exchanged ask your solicitor to get it confirmed.

If you are now committed, call up the energy supplier you THINK might be the supplier or British Gas. They will tell you who IS the supplier. Then call that supplier and ask if service is still provided. The answer is probably, though not necessarily, correct.

Assuming the supply and meters are there and they really have just been switched off turning on the power will just be a switch by the fuse board / consumer unit. The gas will be a tap by the meter inline in the pipe. With the handle pointing in the same direction as the pipe, it is on. At 90 degrees to the pipe it's off.

Edited by Manks on Friday 15th October 13:32