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Hi
I’m selling my house and the buyer has picked up an issue with the landing light (top of stairs).
The light is controlled by two switches (top and bottom of stairs).
The light should be lit in 2 of the four switching configurations (opposite switching). However it only works on one of the 4 configurations.
After some cursory examinations I believe that one of the wires between the top and bottom switches has lost continuity.
So my question is this - is it a big job to get that fixed / replaced?
Weirdly I’m not currently living in the house, but the issue wasn’t there while I was redecorating. So frustrating if they have to pull the walls to bits.
How big a job would depend where the break was. I'd put money on it being a loose connection behind a switch or light from the decorating.
Would try replacing the switches first as it sounds more likely that one of the contacts on the switches has gone than a wire has lost continuity. Replacing the the 3 core & earth cable isn’t a big job, just messy and probably not what you want to do when you are selling the house more something you do when you’re moving in prior to redecorating.
Spoilsports - this is the sort of 'character feature' they should discover once they move in! 🙂
I’ve tried the switches and checked round circuit continuity works on one return but not on the other (using the common wire). Seems to be in the wire.
Thanks for the input guys - will be getting a sparky in soon to have a proper look - pita as I now live an hour away.
PS any electricians near Dorking want a job ?
Is this piddling wiring discrepancy such a big deal breaker for this prospective buyer ?
serious buyers are rarely bothered by such trivial issues in my exp.
most house buyers are usually so unconcerned with electrics very few bother to commission their own wiring inspection reports.
and the majority will spend 10 times more on a new kitchen than bringing the wiring up to "code"
i'd be telling them to jog on , sold as seen etc , fixing it may open the floodgates to further trivial complaints and opportunities to drive price down.
ps im a spark and 2 way lighting is always a head scratcher for the diyer
yeah, I kinda fell into this situation - I thought it was going to simply be a broken switch, so had told them I'll sort it... oops.
But you are quite right about the taking the pi$$... and I've told them to take a hike on a few things already... ended up saying to the estate agent to filter the buyer or I was going back to market.
2 way lighting is always a head scratcher for the diyer
Ha! In my parent’s Victorian monstrosity the hall light is on a 4 way circuit, wired in the early 70s by the A&P shipyard’s supposed lead sparkie. We’ve yet to find an electrician who doesn’t open the switches up and immediately close them again in terror.