Homebuyer Surveys – What They Exclude
2 minute read…
For those of you buying or planning to buy a property, your bank’s mortgage application process usually requires a formal survey of the property as a way to ensure the asset against which they’re lending is safe and robust.
Your lender and conveyancing solicitor advise a Homebuyers Survey Report be carried out by a RICS qualified surveyor and indeed they carry out a visual, mainly structural inspection of the property and present a report of their findings.
However, in terms of the electrical installation of the property, the Surveyor would only report on the visual aspects such as the age and quality of fittings, fixtures and fuse box/ consumer unit but, they are not qualified to go further than that.
This is a very important point that often gets over-looked: a formal technical test and verification of the electrical system is not included in a Homebuyers Survey Report.
Without a formal test of the electrical system (known as an EICR – Electrical Inspection Condition Report »), the buyer has no idea of what electrical issues or dangers may lurking.
There may well be decades of dodgy DIY wiring work, dodgy builder’s electrical work, or a whole host of other faults and non-compliances that may lie undetected, waiting to deliver a fatal punch.
As a home-buyer, the last thing you want is to move into your dream home, get it nicely decorated with new flooring then find circuits are tripping or lights or sockets don’t work. Any such problem could lead to floors, walls or ceiling having to be cut open to find and fix wiring faults.
Get the EICR Done!
I can’t recommend strongly enough to get an EICR done at the same time as your Homebuyers Survey. Yes it’s another cost, but may save you £ thousands and a world of heartache in the future.
How Do You Find the Right (Qualified) Electrician?
You could do an online search for reputable operators, or visit NICEIC or NAPIT websites to find contacts there. Or better still, be recommended by someone they’ve used and like.
99% of the time, you’ll get a great service with an honest evaluation of the issues discovered, OR, even better, no issues at all.
Unfortunately, there are occasions where you might feel that the test hasn’t been carried out properly, or you receive a suspicious quote for ‘a full rewire required’.
What do you do then?
Well, here at Right Polarity, you can get a professional, unbiased EICR Second Opinion which reviews your EICR report and gives an honest opinion on the test carried out and its conclusions.