Imagining purchasing a property, moving into your home to find out you need a whole new boiler replacement or the whole house re-wired?!
When buying a property, a solicitor will always ask the Sellers Solicitors for copies of a recent electrical test report and boiler servicing report for the Buyers safeguarding. However, if there are no documents available, we make the buyers aware and ask them for their confirmation of whether or not they are happy to proceed. In some cases, clients are happy to proceed without any paperwork against our advice.
A Surveyors job is to assess the general condition of the house but they cannot comment on the state of a boiler or the electrics as this not their forte.
When you're looking around a house, check that the radiators are hot, check that lights are working and ask the seller if they have experienced any issues. If you're viewing the property in the warmer months, ask how old the boiler is and when they last had it tested. If the house you are buying is an older property or the boiler or electrics are slightly older and you still want to purchase the house, you might be able to negotiate a cheaper price or arrange to have them tested prior to an exchange of contracts at your own expense to save being stung with any further costs once moving in.
