EICR unsatisfacory

[AnitaF]

The home buyer surveyor recommended an EICR on a property I intend to purchase, because the sellers made some changes to circuits. The house is built in 1973/74 and had a garage conversion into an office and a wall removed to convert the kitchen and dining room into an open plan kitchen in 2015/16.
I have received the EICR today and it came back as unsatisfactory. The electrician conducting the EICR was sourced by the sellers while I pay for it. The two C2 items are Consumer unit doesn't meet current regulations and no RCD protection throughout installation.
I have read some of the posts on this forums that C2 and C3 are subjective to some degree, because of the age of properties. That will the argument from the sellers be who already pressurise me a lot to exchange essentially today with completion on Friday.
However, I cannot accept that completely, since the sellers made some alterations to the circuits. There is a "Section 51 of the Building Act 1984 The Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 2010 ("the 2010Regulations") Final Certificate for the garage conversion. In the exchange between solicitors all electrical alterations were always claimed to be covered by that. However, during viewing I noticed that the lighting in one of the bedrooms was changed to two lightings. So there was some alterations which I believed had to be certified. Theat lighting arrangement has come back with a C3 "No earth sleeping in pendant" There are 3 more C3. In addition the sellers installed an outside socket which plugs itself into an indoor socket. A cable with a plug to the indoor socket is fed through the wall. Those two things and the home buyer survey prompted me to get the EICR.
I also have a portable hottub which comes with its own tester for an indoor socket and instructions that it needs to be connected to an indoor socket. I believe the tester tests for the RCD. I think with the current wiring I won't be able to use the hottub.

What are your opinions on this?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Strima]

Can you remove any personal details on the report and post it up here for us to view?

 

[AnitaF]

Can you remove any personal details on the report and post it up here for us to view?

Would that include any information about the electrician who did the report?

 

[James]

Would that include any information about the electrician who did the report?

Yes

 

[telectrix]

get them to knock a couple of grand off the sale price. that should cover you unless the 1973wiring is in poor condition.

 

[AnitaF]

Yes

 

[DPG]

An outdoor socket the plugs into an indoor socket is not necessarily a problem.

 

[Vortigern]

From what you have described I certainly would not let it delay exchange of contracts purely because of the matter of no RCD, no metal box. The C2 comes from Napit Codebreakers book and was aimed at landlord/tenant situation. In fact it is as you say not necessarily C2 could just as easily be C3. Same with the box. C3 meaning you could significantly improve the safety of the electrical installation if you basically got a box change. That is a matter of choice on your part. I guess the price of a new box and sorting any problems would be from £500-800. Of course most people don't feel too flush after buying a house and would rather get a new bathroom/kitchen/carpets rather than be safer. Electrics bah!

 

[JBW175]

you could maybe try and use the report as a bargaining chip to try and get a reduction in price, as there's things you're not happy with and it's going cost you money to put right.

when i bought my house a couple of years ago, the wall ties were picked up on the survey and needed replacing, it was going cost £1200. the old lady didn't have time to get it done, so kindly knocked £1200 off the sale price and we got it done once we'd moved in.

saying that, we weren't as close to completion as you but it's worth a try.

 

[Strima]

Consumer unit fire rating is a hotly debated subject but would only normally attract a C3. However the coding also points towards the IP rating being compromised which would attract a C2/C1 depending on the size and location of the hole.

He's put a lot of C2's against RCD protection, some would only attract a C3 however as you have socket-outlets that could supply equipment outdoors this would be a C2. Also no RCD protection for a location containing a bath or shower would be a C2.

No mention of the slightly higher than expected R2 measurement on the 1st RFC.

Seems reasonable to me.

Being close to completion might be a struggle to get any money knocked off now.

 

[AnitaF]

Many thanks for all the advice. I'm learning rapidly. I have a quote for remedial work and will approach the agent about a price reduction.
With regards to exchange I just have spoken to my solicitor who has had no dates neither exchange nor completion from the sellers' solicitor. As far as they are concerned dates are not discussed until all enquiries are dealt with. I was texted Friday 27 November by the sellers that they are collecting the contract to exchange on 4 December to complete on 11 December. The home buyer survey was only scheduled to be on 1 December.
The sellers have booked workmen to work on the property they are buying and that's where the dates originate from.

 

[UKPN]

The home buyer surveyor recommended an EICR on a property I intend to purchase, because the sellers made some changes to circuits. The house is built in 1973/74 and had a garage conversion into an office and a wall removed to convert the kitchen and dining room into an open plan kitchen in 2015/16.
I have received the EICR today and it came back as unsatisfactory. The electrician conducting the EICR was sourced by the sellers while I pay for it. The two C2 items are Consumer unit doesn't meet current regulations and no RCD protection throughout installation.
I have read some of the posts on this forums that C2 and C3 are subjective to some degree, because of the age of properties. That will the argument from the sellers be who already pressurise me a lot to exchange essentially today with completion on Friday.
However, I cannot accept that completely, since the sellers made some alterations to the circuits. There is a "Section 51 of the Building Act 1984 The Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 2010 ("the 2010Regulations") Final Certificate for the garage conversion. In the exchange between solicitors all electrical alterations were always claimed to be covered by that. However, during viewing I noticed that the lighting in one of the bedrooms was changed to two lightings. So there was some alterations which I believed had to be certified. Theat lighting arrangement has come back with a C3 "No earth sleeping in pendant" There are 3 more C3. In addition the sellers installed an outside socket which plugs itself into an indoor socket. A cable with a plug to the indoor socket is fed through the wall. Those two things and the home buyer survey prompted me to get the EICR.
I also have a portable hottub which comes with its own tester for an indoor socket and instructions that it needs to be connected to an indoor socket. I believe the tester tests for the RCD. I think with the current wiring I won't be able to use the hottub.

What are your opinions on this?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Picture the scenario, you have found your dream home, overlooking the sea/woodland/parkland etc. all facilities within walking distance. A dream come true. Id stuff the "unsatisfactory" bit of paper in a bin. Move in, sort the "unsatisfactory" stuff out later. The plastic fuseboard by the way is N/A

Regards, UKPN