House Issues

[Hightower]

When we were viewing our newly acquired house the seller told us (face to face) that the upstairs had been rewired, but downstairs was still on the old system.

 

We had a sparky fit a new light upstairs on Saturday who told us it had in fact NOT been rewired recently, or in the past decade for that matter.

 

The question I have is what action can I take with this against the seller? I've emailed the estate agent to ask for a copy of the HIP, and also emailed my solicitor who has a copy of the HIP to see what we can do.

 

As far as I'm concerned the property was not sold in the state he said it was in - but I can see us being able to do nothing about it as it was something he said during a viewing. I'm not sure (yet) what is stated in the HIP as I haven't seen it (probably for the worse, I just let the solicitor deal with all that side of things).

 

What can I do?

[SC-UK]

Very difficult unless you have written proof (i.e. the HIP) that states that the rewiring was done.

 

I would wait until you have had chance to have a look at the HIP and see what it says, before considering your next course of action.

 

Tom

[Hightower]

Very difficult unless you have written proof (i.e. the HIP) that states that the rewiring was done.

 

I would wait until you have had chance to have a look at the HIP and see what it says, before considering your next course of action.

 

Tom

 

Does the HIP comment on the state of wiring? And if so, how is this taken? Does the seller just say "This was redone such and such a time" and it goes in the HIP, or does someone come out and actually check the wiring before putting it in the HIP?

[SC-UK]

Any "regulation" work, such as electrical work, that's been done on the property in the last few years (forget how many exactly), will have an application notice on the HIP yes.

[SC-UK]

I should probably add - that this won't say "Rewiring" as such. But it will be enough to see if the house has had any major electrical work completed recently.

 

I do stand do be corrected here - but the HIP I have in front of me for the house we've just bought does include this information.

[maniac]

If it was re-wired after 2006, then you should have a part P certification to go with the work that was done, this should be quite detailed and state what was done and who did it. If it was done before then, there was no requirement for this so you may not have it.

 

Unless it was re-wired over 20yrs ago, there's a good chance the wiring is absolutely fine - newer cable doesn't degrade like the older rubber stuff used to so the chances of the wiring actually being dangerous are slim. Yes it may not meet the latest edition of the regs, but it probably won't be that bad - unless of course it's been done by someone that didn't know what they were doing like my house was!

 

Unfortunitely unless it's on paper somewhere, and is subsequently proved to be incorrect, then there's probably not an awful lot you can do. Things that were said verbally have no legal status in situations like this, unless they were independantly witnessed.

 

Well worth reading the Part P regs on the planning site, states in there what work is and is not notifiable - most re-wiring work is, unless it's replacing just a single cable.

 

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_ADP_2006.pdf

 

Mike.

Edited March 8, 2010 by maniac

[Tricky_Dicky]

Houses are sold very much on a "buyer beware" sort of condition. It is up to the purchaser to do all the relevant checks to see if things are as they appear, if you discover something is wrong once you have purchased then I'm afraid that's just hard luck.

That being said, it shouldn't make a huge amount of difference if the house has been rewired unless the old wiring is in a particularly poor state of repair. You should still be able to add new sockets from the existing as long as it's done by a qualified electrician and comes with a part-p.

[Andrew_C]

Houses are sold very much on a "buyer beware" sort of condition.

 

Snip

 

You should still be able to add new sockets from the existing as long as it's done by a qualified electrician and comes with a part-p.

ISTR (and I haven't bought a house for 10 years) that it is one of the few bits of English law where verbal contracts don't count. Only what is written and signed matter. That said, if you have a survey done which you can be expected to rely on, and the surveyor fails to inform you of material facts, then you may have a claim against him. (Yanni vs Middleton, Birmingham. Late 1970s)

 

Adding a socket, or replacing damaged, doesn't come under Part (taking the) P. Adding a circuit, or works in bathroom and kitchens does. There are other criteria both ways.

[Hightower]

I think the wiring itself is in pretty good condition. The problem we have is we want to install new light fittings (spot lights with metal cases), but because the wiring is old it doesn't have an earth cable installed to the lights, so we can't install lights with metal casings.

[featured_spectre]

Any cabling/gas work done since 1991 has to be added into the HIP...reason I know this is because my mum had her gas piping redone in 1993, and the lawyer who helped with the HIP said anything from 1991 onwards has to go in, due to possible regulation changes blah blah blah. Anything that has been in the house since it was built is "fine"...its just if it is upgraded.

[Andrew_C]

but because the wiring is old it doesn't have an earth cable installed to the lights, so we can't install lights with metal casings.

It would have to be very old not to have any earths in the lighting circuits. It would be worth looking at junction boxes rather than just the ceiling roses. It could be wired in twin without earth, but I'd be surprised!

[Hightower]

It would have to be very old not to have any earths in the lighting circuits. It would be worth looking at junction boxes rather than just the ceiling roses. It could be wired in twin without earth, but I'd be surprised!

 

Well the loft is boarded so we can't get in to the junction boxes. That said though I will find time to lift the boards and see if there's an earth to the junction box - if so we should just be able to quite easily run one down to the light.

 

My uncle (who is still training) said it's not uncommon for them to install an earth, but snip it at the junction box on older installs.

 

My mam and dads next door neighbour is an experienced electrician too. He said he would come up in the next couple of weeks and see what works 'ideally' needs to be carried out. Whether it's just installing earths from the junction boxes, a full rewire, or something else completely he's the man to keep us straight.

 

 

On another note, I went to install a curtain pole last night and made a right hash of the wall with the drill. I'm not cut out for this DIY malarky!

[Andrew_C]

On another note, I went to install a curtain pole last night and made a right hash of the wall with the drill. I'm not cut out for this DIY malarky!

The challenge there is to make sure you don't try to drill the lintel above the window. D@mned hard concrete, or steel! Go a bit wider, or higher, if you can.

[glennda]

The challenge there is to make sure you don't try to drill the lintel above the window. D@mned hard concrete, or steel! Go a bit wider, or higher, if you can.

 

i just moved in with my sister and was rather surprised when i drilled above the window and found it was a wooden beam

[Hightower]

The challenge there is to make sure you don't try to drill the lintel above the window. D@mned hard concrete, or steel! Go a bit wider, or higher, if you can.

 

Well the first hole went fine for half an inch till I hit something solid - looked out the window and then it was obvious I was drilling the lintel.

 

I used a smaller bit first then went into the pilot hole with the 5mm bit I needed. I got there but in the end the hole was about 3mm bigger than I needed.

 

So I drilled another hole away from the lintel which was lovely. Drilled a second hole below (as brackets use two screws to fix) and it went into nothing.

 

I'll be investing in a box of pollyfiller today, and waiting for dear old pops to come up and help me bodge the holes I've hashed! My dad is a DIY legend - he'll sort it out