Our first property - seller says CU is older than 2005 - no cert required

[Benuk]

Hi all

We're moving in to our first property - it's a 1950's build. The house has been bought buy a property developer who bought it from the previous owner so that they could purchase a new build (part ex).

We had a survey done recently and one of the things that has come up is the lack of any kind of electrical certificate for the consumer unit. The property developer's solicitors have said that the previous owner had not had any electrical work done since they moved in (pre 2005) and as such a certificate was not required.

Fortunately I had the foresight to take some photos of it whilst I was there and to me it certainly looks newer than something that would have been installed 13-odd years ago. It is a split load MK CU with RCD etc. It's a metal box which as far as I'm aware is a recent requirement (17th edition?) and may not have even been available pre-2005. I've attached a couple of pictures to this email.

In my opinion some DIY'er or whoever has installed this unit without being qualified and obviously not able to supply a cert. But that's just my opinion - any help on identifying the year of this model would be appreciated.

Kind regards,

 

[westward10]

Leave it up to your solicitor as there should have been Certification and notification to building control.

 

[westward10]

It looks quite a tidy job to be honest, maybe done as a result of a cash only job with no certificate, not sure of the date, but if you are worried insist on an Electrical Installation Condition Report, (EICR) could be around £250:00 but who pays is unsure, as I have no information as to the state of the purchase.

About as tidy as my hair in the morning

 

[Benuk]

It looks quite a tidy job to be honest, maybe done as a result of a cash only job with no certificate, not sure of the date, but if you are worried insist on an Electrical Installation Condition Report, (EICR) could be around £250:00 but who pays is unsure, as I have no information as to the state of the purchase.

It would bother me if this was the case and they've scrimped on a few hundred quid for something that once done properly should last many years. What else could they have scrimped on :-/ At this moment our/their solicitors are waiting for us to sign the forms to confirm the purchase so the onus should be on them to pay, I'd have thought? Or perhaps we just lower our offer based on the above, I'm not sure. As I say this is our first purchase so any advice is always appreciated

 

[Pete999]

It would bother me if this was the case and they've scrimped on a few hundred quid for something that once done properly should last many years. What else could they have scrimped on :-/ At this moment our/their solicitors are waiting for us to sign the forms to confirm the purchase so the onus should be on them to pay, I'd have thought? Or perhaps we just lower our offer based on the above, I'm not sure. As I say this is our first purchase so any advice is always appreciated

Knock 500 notes off the price subject to an EIC certificate or insist on an EICR paid for by the Vendor

 

[Strima]

Get them to pay for an EICR, you could pay and try and get some money knocked off the purchase price.

Also insist on 100% of circuits to be completed.

 

[Spoon]

No, it's a metal MK Sentry Consumer unit of current design. I've fitted a few.

In England and Wales (Part P 2013 and 2010 editions respectively) there should have been a notification submitted to the local authority building control that the consumer unit has been replaced. There should also be an Electrical Installation Certificate for the work (a consumer unit change requires this).

Hi @Benuk. Personally I wouldn't sign anything until you have seen the above or after one is done. You do not know the condition of the electrics and as you say, if they have lied about this then you never know what else they have done.

 

[SparkyChick]

I think you need to be a bit careful.

Talk to your solicitor. The suggestion about the EICR from the guys is good, but I might be inclined to get the work regularised with your LABC so there can be no question of you being responsible for it not being notified in the future.

 

[westward10]

I would insist on seeing the building control notification and an eicr.

 

[Benuk]

Thanks for the advice all Greatly appreciated

 

[Midwest]

Its definitely not been installed prior to...………………..Just thought I'd be about the 5th member to tell the OP that


OP, you could do a search on your local authority web site, to see if the new consumer unit change has been notified to them at that address. Such as you can for planning permissions, building regs approval on building work (thats if you reside in England & Wales). If it had been installed complying with Part P Building regs, it will be listed on the LBC web site. Not that will get you the required certification, but its a starting point.

 

[telectrix]

cynic in me says maybe the new CU is there to make the installation lookt he dog's bollox, but behind the walls there could be the pig's arse. get an eicr done as a start.

 

[Jamie']

Board Is also missing a blank at the end of the mcbs. What the other guys/gals have said previous is correct.

 

[netblindpaul]

Inspection and testing of electrical installations has been required by the "wiring regulations" since 1882, the first edition, it is there, I have a copy.
Certification has been required since the 14th Edition, my version is 1970.
Notification of such changes to Building Control under Building Regulations requirements has been necessary since 2005.
BS EN 61439-3 was published on the 31st May 2012.
So it seems that the property developer has not done his homework.
One word of caution, if you get an EICR done before purchase, then you will be purchasing the house with the known defects, thus you will have no legal recourse, I've just been there with a house purchase I was involved with.
If you get it done after, and it can be proven that false information was furnished to the solicitors/as a legal document, then you would have legal recourse.
It's an awkward situation, but either way it is difficult to decide, and prove.

 

[Risteard]

I see an obvious C1 defect on that DB.

 

[Octopus]

One thing for sure is that the seller is lying..............