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As others have said, I'd offer to get the boiler serviced but tell them an electrical test is on them. I would refuse to pay to bring things up to current regs as well. They were current when installed and the house is not especially old.
Had our boiler serviced once or twice but that was on the back of a repair then them following up the next year. Haven't bothered for the last 5 years or so and carry out basic maintenance (replace rad valves, top up the system, add inhibitor, etc.) myself.
I'd probably forget to ask if buying another and certainly wouldn't back out of a sale because of it. If you've had a proper look around your prospective house and have half an idea about diy it should be pretty obvious what may need looking at and that should be factored in to the price/offer IMO.
Cheers, I didn't know how much they were. The cost Vs service was accounting for paying someone to repair it though. I'm happy to spanner on my bikes and cars, but don't have much experience with heating and plumbing.
I would refuse to pay to bring things up to current regs as well
I'd end up pretty much rebuilding my house if I attempted to bring it up to what current regs would dictate.
Some buyers seem to have really unrealistic expectations ...... Not sure if that's naivety from the buyers, or solicitors not operating in the real world.
If you want current standards buy a new house/or a house that was built after the date of the most recent standards change at least.
Absolutely agree. Most things get upgraded over the life of a house anyway so no need to do everything at once unless you are doing a full renovation and if you are the buying price should have reflected that. Estate agents are paid to sell any given house at market value (give or take) so the asking price should be based on the overall condition of the property.
I think a lot of the questions / requirements are solicitor driven, especially when cheaper remote solicitors are involved, the first buyers of my friends house came up with a right load of twaddle & my solicitors had to remind them on a few occasions that being a sale of a deceased person's estate there was no guarantees in any event.
Agreed...
Some buyers seem to have really unrealistic expectations …… Not sure if that’s naivety from the buyers, or solicitors not operating in the real world.
Might be unrealistic, might just be trying for a cheeky discount from a nieve seller... a house, even if 20 years old is going to have 20yo old electrics, etc... you don't re-wire a whole house just 'because'.
It's a second hand (or 3rd or 4th hand) house, not a brand new house, and if it's priced realistically compared to the local market than it is what it is. Houses need maintenence, and to try to argue a discount because 'the boiler is more than 8 years old' or whatever, is frankly ridiculous.
I think a lot of the questions / requirements are solicitor driven, especially when cheaper remote solicitors are involved,
I forgotten the best one. The solicitors website and making a fuss about a tree protection order. The house (in a small estate of about 40) was about three years old and my parents bought it in about 1982. There are no mature trees within the boundary of the property.
"2. The result of the search shows there is a Tree Preservation Order 19th December 1972, can you advise whether there are any trees within the boundaries of the property that would be subject to this Order?"
From my memory of being a kid and looking on Google Earth, I think it related to an oak tree that was in the garden of a house about four doors away. What they expected me to do about it, I've no idea