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You're not legally obliged to get an EICR for a property you live in, only if you let it out which would explain why the current owners haven't got one. That said it would obviously be better to get the electrics sorted out when you move in.
Okay, but what if the house catches fire because of outdated electrics, and my insurance won't cover me because I clearly have evidence or knowledge of the electrics being faulty / unsafe? Things still being live when turned "off" at a fuse board is a pretty big deal.
That's a risk with any property and no you probably wouldn't be covered for something you already know is an issue. Therefore it makes sense that you get the electrical rewiring done as soon as you purchase. I had the same with my previous house. There was never an EICR on that when I bought it. I had work done to the electrics and it was found that the supply was coming from outside the property so didn't switch off at the fuse box. I got a trusted electrician in and all the wiring was replaced and separate ring mains installed to separate different areas plus a surge protector for all our PCs. It's straightforward enough for a skilled electrician.
Was it really disruptive or messy to make good again, or is it quite easily livable after the work is gone? I would do the works if I went ahead with the purchase I just want to know what I'm letting myself in for really (eg months of hassle or a couple of weeks).
It was liveable, wasn't that messy as just pulling wiring through using what was already there as a guide. A lot of work was actually done in the loft putting all the ring mains in. Also added lots of sockets in my current house which took a couple of days. It meant floorboards coming up for a while but not the whole floor by any means and I found it still liveable.
I'm in a similar situation. Single woman, work from home, and have a dog. I found out my house needed a complete rewire after completion a couple of weeks ago. I was mortified. It was a death trap! There had been a young family in this house too. People don't check their electrics through ignorance, or because they can't afford to repair. Don't worry about the EICR for the insurance, it's irrelevant, it's only important so you and your quoting electricans can see the scale of the work needed and for your safety. Nobody asked about it when I got my buildings insurance.
I thought I couldn't do it either, financially or emotionally. But you can and I can. 5k sounds very reasonable for a rewire, especially if the vendors are chipping in. My quote was £500 for making good- the electricians have a plasterer they work with who they spoke to. You will at least then have complete walls and you can decorate a bit at a time when you feel able to. You don't need a complete replaster of whole walls- the channels can be filled and the plaster feathered. You won't be in a building site, it just won't be quite how you imagined for a while.
The covers on the sockets are neither here nor there. They just screw on and don't tell you what's underneath. No reason you can't keep them and reuse if you wish. The electricians can talk you through what's required in each room. My kitchen has tiled walls and floors too,- they will come up under the floor at the back of the kitchen cabinets. Some tiles will need to be replaced, but it doesn't all come out. Apparently my kitchen tiles are still available, but at worst you can get a few in a contrasting colour and make a feature of it!
Ask the electricians anything you need to. They want to reassure you and make things as easy as possible, and they're used to explaining everything. If they aren't helpful and patient about that, then get a different contractor.
Thank you so much, this has so reassured me. The contractor I'm working with has been recommended by word of mouth and he seems lovely. Electrician likewise, I've used one of them before and keen to work with them again. Patient and friendly but doesn't talk down to you like you're an idiot, you know?
I looked at a few YouTube videos on rewiring and it doesn't look as bad as I was imagining. I am assuming the carpets can be put down again after being pulled up for the floorboards. I am happy the vendors are willing to contribute, although I know their budget is a bit tight too.
I have to remember I don't have to do everything all at once (although probably sooner the better on electrics and plastering).
5k was a ballpark, I am waiting for the full quote hopefully tomorrow before I go back to regenotiate sale price / cash on completion from the vendor. Fingers crossed. Also nice point about the contrasting tiles in the kitchen, ha!
I just want to be sure I take care of myself financially and don't take on something I can't afford. My current budget puts me at saving around £500 a month so hopefully even with everything I'll still be okay.
I sympathise completely. An unplanned for expense like this, plus the disruption, is really worrying. But it sounds manageable. It is going to require a lot of cleaning, but everything will be in order again before you know it. And yes, the carpets can go back down.
Best of luck with the renegotiation. You're way ahead of me- I wish I'd had the electrical survey before I completed and will regret not doing it forever!
Electrician here.
Two different electricians saying you probably need a rewire, then you probably need a rewire.
If they're good, they can do their best to minimise dust and mess, but there will always be some. My advice would be get it done asap upon moving in. Try and keep your stuff in the middle of the rooms (or in one corner where no sockets are going to be) with dust sheets over the top. If they're working with the plasterer, then they could 1st and 2nd fix in one week potentially. Then it will be livable and just need decorative work. And you'll have peace of mind. You can also choose where you'd like sockets and lights etc.
Living somewhere else for the week would be preferable, but it is possible to live there while they work.
Thank you. Yes I would prepare to get the work done if I went ahead with the purchase, I don't really like all the "Well I'm sure it'll be fine" attitude here because, I mean, it's my safety at the end of the day. I just want to know if it would take months but it sounds relatively simple in theory.
My main worries are the kitchen and bathroom, both fully tiled floors and walls. Can rewiring be done so as not to damage the tiles? Most of the rooms I was going to redecorate eventually because there's hideous wallpaper on them but the kitchen and bathroom I won't have the money for that for a while.
I'm afraid at least some of the tiles would have to come off. But there may be workarounds.
Bathrooms usually just have electrics in the ceiling, i.e. lights and extractor fan. These can be wired from the loft only which means no damage to tiles. The only things that may come down the walls are shaver points, electric towel rails, electric shower, etc. if you have these at all. Depending on the layout of your house, some of these cables could be chased down from the other side of the wall assuming it's an internal wall.
As for the kitchen, that's more difficult. Without tiles coming off you could either:
* Leave the existing electrics in the kitchen and rewire it separately at a later date. Perhaps if you are thinking of a new kitchen at some point.
* Run the cables in the most convenient routes to avoid the tiles and maybe use trunking on top of tiles where necessary. Looks a bit ugly though.
* Bite the bullet and rip off only the tiles that are in the way of cabling.
These things depend on the layout of your kitchen. Difficult to know without seeing it. But those would be my thoughts.
Thank you, very helpful.
The bathroom is ground floor and added later, somewhat adjacent to the kitchen, and has a flat roof so no loft access. Kitchen likewise as this was added as n extension probably when the electrics were last checked. So sounds like there may be tile damage :( I will discuss with electricians what to do and when I suppose. I would not really plan for a new kitchen in the house.
Only your lender and insurer can tell you if you need house rewire. Changing those two might be cheaper.
Unless you see or hear sparks, it might not be as bad as tradesmen say. Search at amazon for sockets tester, the one that shows if Earth is working as it should.
If in doubt, also buy protective RCD 30mA plugs.
Have you tried to ask hear dresser if you need new cut? they will also say you must!
NB! I am not an electrician and this wasn't advice and I don't know that house.
Lender did a survey and valuation and gave me a mortgage offer, does that mean they don't care?
I haven't approached insurers yet because not even close to exchange. Wouldn't I have to disclose the electrics status and provide EICR?
No they don't care and yes you may have to disclose to Insurers. One of the normal questions they ask is whether the property is maintained in good condition. It may be worth telephoning for a quote and then they can tell you whether there are any exclusions they may apply to the policy until the electrical and damp work is completed.
###Welcome to /r/HousingUK --- **To All** * Join Our ***NEW*** Discord! https://discord.gg/pMgUNgWKQH **To Posters** * *Tell us whether you're in England, Wales, Scotland, or NI as the laws/issues in each can vary* * Comments are not moderated for quality or accuracy; * Any replies received must only be used as guidelines, followed at your own risk; * If you receive *any* private messages in response to your post, please report them via the report button. * Feel free to provide an update at a later time by creating a new post with [[update]](https://www.reddit.com/r/HousingUK/search?q=%3Aupdate&sort=new&restrict_sr=on&t=all) in the title; **To Readers and Commenters** * All replies to OP must be *on-topic, helpful, and civil* * If you do not [follow the rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/HousingUK/about/rules/), you may be banned without any further warning; * Please include links to reliable resources in order to support your comments or advice; * If you feel any replies are incorrect, explain why you believe they are incorrect; * Do not send or request any private messages for any reason without express permission from the mods; * Please report posts or comments which do not follow the rules *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/HousingUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
You're not legally obliged to get an EICR for a property you live in, only if you let it out which would explain why the current owners haven't got one. That said it would obviously be better to get the electrics sorted out when you move in.
Okay, but what if the house catches fire because of outdated electrics, and my insurance won't cover me because I clearly have evidence or knowledge of the electrics being faulty / unsafe? Things still being live when turned "off" at a fuse board is a pretty big deal.
That's a risk with any property and no you probably wouldn't be covered for something you already know is an issue. Therefore it makes sense that you get the electrical rewiring done as soon as you purchase. I had the same with my previous house. There was never an EICR on that when I bought it. I had work done to the electrics and it was found that the supply was coming from outside the property so didn't switch off at the fuse box. I got a trusted electrician in and all the wiring was replaced and separate ring mains installed to separate different areas plus a surge protector for all our PCs. It's straightforward enough for a skilled electrician.
Was it really disruptive or messy to make good again, or is it quite easily livable after the work is gone? I would do the works if I went ahead with the purchase I just want to know what I'm letting myself in for really (eg months of hassle or a couple of weeks).
It was liveable, wasn't that messy as just pulling wiring through using what was already there as a guide. A lot of work was actually done in the loft putting all the ring mains in. Also added lots of sockets in my current house which took a couple of days. It meant floorboards coming up for a while but not the whole floor by any means and I found it still liveable.
I'm in a similar situation. Single woman, work from home, and have a dog. I found out my house needed a complete rewire after completion a couple of weeks ago. I was mortified. It was a death trap! There had been a young family in this house too. People don't check their electrics through ignorance, or because they can't afford to repair. Don't worry about the EICR for the insurance, it's irrelevant, it's only important so you and your quoting electricans can see the scale of the work needed and for your safety. Nobody asked about it when I got my buildings insurance. I thought I couldn't do it either, financially or emotionally. But you can and I can. 5k sounds very reasonable for a rewire, especially if the vendors are chipping in. My quote was £500 for making good- the electricians have a plasterer they work with who they spoke to. You will at least then have complete walls and you can decorate a bit at a time when you feel able to. You don't need a complete replaster of whole walls- the channels can be filled and the plaster feathered. You won't be in a building site, it just won't be quite how you imagined for a while. The covers on the sockets are neither here nor there. They just screw on and don't tell you what's underneath. No reason you can't keep them and reuse if you wish. The electricians can talk you through what's required in each room. My kitchen has tiled walls and floors too,- they will come up under the floor at the back of the kitchen cabinets. Some tiles will need to be replaced, but it doesn't all come out. Apparently my kitchen tiles are still available, but at worst you can get a few in a contrasting colour and make a feature of it! Ask the electricians anything you need to. They want to reassure you and make things as easy as possible, and they're used to explaining everything. If they aren't helpful and patient about that, then get a different contractor.
Thank you so much, this has so reassured me. The contractor I'm working with has been recommended by word of mouth and he seems lovely. Electrician likewise, I've used one of them before and keen to work with them again. Patient and friendly but doesn't talk down to you like you're an idiot, you know? I looked at a few YouTube videos on rewiring and it doesn't look as bad as I was imagining. I am assuming the carpets can be put down again after being pulled up for the floorboards. I am happy the vendors are willing to contribute, although I know their budget is a bit tight too. I have to remember I don't have to do everything all at once (although probably sooner the better on electrics and plastering). 5k was a ballpark, I am waiting for the full quote hopefully tomorrow before I go back to regenotiate sale price / cash on completion from the vendor. Fingers crossed. Also nice point about the contrasting tiles in the kitchen, ha! I just want to be sure I take care of myself financially and don't take on something I can't afford. My current budget puts me at saving around £500 a month so hopefully even with everything I'll still be okay.
I sympathise completely. An unplanned for expense like this, plus the disruption, is really worrying. But it sounds manageable. It is going to require a lot of cleaning, but everything will be in order again before you know it. And yes, the carpets can go back down. Best of luck with the renegotiation. You're way ahead of me- I wish I'd had the electrical survey before I completed and will regret not doing it forever!
Electrician here. Two different electricians saying you probably need a rewire, then you probably need a rewire. If they're good, they can do their best to minimise dust and mess, but there will always be some. My advice would be get it done asap upon moving in. Try and keep your stuff in the middle of the rooms (or in one corner where no sockets are going to be) with dust sheets over the top. If they're working with the plasterer, then they could 1st and 2nd fix in one week potentially. Then it will be livable and just need decorative work. And you'll have peace of mind. You can also choose where you'd like sockets and lights etc. Living somewhere else for the week would be preferable, but it is possible to live there while they work.
Thank you. Yes I would prepare to get the work done if I went ahead with the purchase, I don't really like all the "Well I'm sure it'll be fine" attitude here because, I mean, it's my safety at the end of the day. I just want to know if it would take months but it sounds relatively simple in theory. My main worries are the kitchen and bathroom, both fully tiled floors and walls. Can rewiring be done so as not to damage the tiles? Most of the rooms I was going to redecorate eventually because there's hideous wallpaper on them but the kitchen and bathroom I won't have the money for that for a while.
I'm afraid at least some of the tiles would have to come off. But there may be workarounds. Bathrooms usually just have electrics in the ceiling, i.e. lights and extractor fan. These can be wired from the loft only which means no damage to tiles. The only things that may come down the walls are shaver points, electric towel rails, electric shower, etc. if you have these at all. Depending on the layout of your house, some of these cables could be chased down from the other side of the wall assuming it's an internal wall. As for the kitchen, that's more difficult. Without tiles coming off you could either: * Leave the existing electrics in the kitchen and rewire it separately at a later date. Perhaps if you are thinking of a new kitchen at some point. * Run the cables in the most convenient routes to avoid the tiles and maybe use trunking on top of tiles where necessary. Looks a bit ugly though. * Bite the bullet and rip off only the tiles that are in the way of cabling. These things depend on the layout of your kitchen. Difficult to know without seeing it. But those would be my thoughts.
Thank you, very helpful. The bathroom is ground floor and added later, somewhat adjacent to the kitchen, and has a flat roof so no loft access. Kitchen likewise as this was added as n extension probably when the electrics were last checked. So sounds like there may be tile damage :( I will discuss with electricians what to do and when I suppose. I would not really plan for a new kitchen in the house.
Only your lender and insurer can tell you if you need house rewire. Changing those two might be cheaper. Unless you see or hear sparks, it might not be as bad as tradesmen say. Search at amazon for sockets tester, the one that shows if Earth is working as it should. If in doubt, also buy protective RCD 30mA plugs. Have you tried to ask hear dresser if you need new cut? they will also say you must! NB! I am not an electrician and this wasn't advice and I don't know that house.
Lender did a survey and valuation and gave me a mortgage offer, does that mean they don't care? I haven't approached insurers yet because not even close to exchange. Wouldn't I have to disclose the electrics status and provide EICR?
No they don't care and yes you may have to disclose to Insurers. One of the normal questions they ask is whether the property is maintained in good condition. It may be worth telephoning for a quote and then they can tell you whether there are any exclusions they may apply to the policy until the electrical and damp work is completed.