So, as the title. Completed on the house a week ago then immediately left on a two week holiday. Will be heading home in a week to hit a frenzy of decorating, DIY etc as we have an overlap with our rented place for 3 weeks before we plan to properly move in. Other than cracking on with painting, wall papering etc what do I need to consider? Presumably I want to get the gas and electricity checked out by a professional, who is best to get to do this? would British Gas do it as they were the supplier? Water, do I need any checks run on that? what else? Total amateur here

Unless you think there’s something actually dangerous, I wouldn’t bother doing anything. Insurance would be my first call if you haven’t sorted that. A gas engineer will do a gas safety certificate for £50ish (north) which will give you peace of mind though. Electric standards keep moving forwards which means loads (probably most) won’t meet current spec, but that doesn’t make them dangerous. I wouldn’t stick with cloth and lead sheathed cables or fuses with wire in them any more mind.

Yeah, insurance we did on exchange. Gas was my main worry so thanks for the info, I will go out to an independent for a safety certificate, then cross my fingers and just wait for issues on the rest.

It might fail the gas as they keep changing the rules on that too. Doesn’t always mean its dangerous.

All the times we’ve moved (including one probate house) we’ve never bothered with a gas or electric inspection. Did the previous owner die of gas inhalation – if not why bother, you’ll have plenty of other bills by the sound of it

Had a gas issue when I moved in to current house . smell of gas in understair cupboard . was due to the turning off and on of the supply greese in the valve had gone off. British Gas fitter out within an hour changed the unit no charge just by calling the can you smell a leak number . years after discovers insufficient air void behind the living room fire place so I would now pay the few quid for a gas inspection rather than have a carbon monoxide risk unresolved.

Probate house exorcism ?

(Forget that – missed crankboy’s post)

Change the locks?, you may have no idea how many other people have keys and may or may not know the place has changed hands.

Thanks for the replies all. The garden backs onto a cemetery so I have of course given it all the dad jokes to mrs-g about how the neighbours are “dead” quiet, and if we need any info about the house we can just pop over and ask the previous owner. The house is in London, and all around it multistory appartment buildings are springing up so I see the cemetery as guaranteeing us no tower blocks will be built there. Will of course suggest the exorcism for comedy value.

WRT to gas thing kilo, the owner was old, and died, my worry there is that she may well have died of carbon monoxide poisoning and no tests will have been done, that’s partly why I am thinking about it. The facts we know are that someone died, the assumption is that it was due to old age, but if for 50 quid we can feel safe it wasn’t the boiler that did it then I would pay that money in a heartbeat before I move my kids in there.

As it stands then, Gas Safety Engineer or whatever for the boiler, then don’t invite the electricity or water guys round as they will invoke the “childrens faces” and mrs-g will crumble and all my money will be gone.

I have bought stanley wall paper scrapper with the changable blades off a recommendation from here and wont be steaming the walls. Look out for more “what do I do with xxxx decorating thing” threads from me over the coming weekds

From experience of repoed houses and flats, and probably the same with probate houses, where someone has died or gone into care.

Lack of money being spent on their maintenance, so electric check, gas check, take meter readings and photos of meter with a newspaper in picture to verify date.So you dont get billed for previous use. contact water /electric and gas companies of choice, you dont have to stick to the old supplier except for water company, no choice there.

Change locks, expect lots of mail for previous owner/occupant, and sometimes even the bailiffs,have a look in attic for holes in roof will show up as daylight coming through, check exterior of roof with binoculars for loose tiles and broken tiles.

Thanks Project, there does seem to have been an absolute lack of formality WRT to meter readings, after years of renting I am used to the standard arguing over 0.1 of a unit of electricity between closing and opening readings, where here none of that seems to have been in any way organised.

Immediate budget covers wallpaper, paint, carpets, then stove installation, after that we can worry about bills I guess

Jesus, we bought probate and never dealt with any of that crap, just got on with the magnolia and dealt with the inevitable nonsense as it showed up.

Barring the standard boiler/fire service there’s really nothing else you can reasonably do. As for fuses, as long as they work and don’t keep popping (or look like something from a museum) then it’s worth forgetting about till you have the cash, upgrading to a modern consumer unit and switched isolation is a fair cost. Then again if there’s any rewiring or messy stuff to be done best get it out the way early (again, cash dependent).

Gas would be my only concern, having got a gas safety organised for a rental a few years back fitting CO monitors/alarms in the living room near the fire and the boiler made more sense for the cost. Also got the fire and boiler serviced which doesn’t hurt. Good to start fresh on these things.

Take a look at the boiler and cooker you have no idea of their service history I would have both serviced, If the water is private ie a well get it tested.

Here in France all houses have everything tested and documented before the sale goes through you have a good idea what your getting.