Sold our house 6 months ago, just had an email from the new owners saying they had issues with the boiler loosing pressure before christmas and when checked plumber found the vent was not plumbed correctly and was leaking water ‘down the inside of the wall’. They wanted to know who installed it as it was apparently against regulations

I’m pre-empting a 2nd email saying there is now damp issues in the cavity walls or something (sure over 10 years we would have noticed and we never had any issues at all)

Boiler (Wocester) was installed about 10 years ago, I can’t remember by who, although they where a friend of a friend (proper registered Corgi (as it was at the time) plumber though) and I think they may have emigrated since
Paperwork was lost subsequently so didnt form part of handover documents in the sale

Since then though we had the house extended which involved obviously extending the heating system (entire rear of hose was ripped off and rebuilt), all was signed off by building regs, and the plumbers that did this work never noticed or mentioned anything was wrong. Boiler was also repaired about 12 months ago (pump), again the 3rd different plumber didnt notice anything

Do the buyers, 6 months later, have any comeback on us if there is a genuine problem (I really can’t recall seeing any external overflow pipe/vent)

I presume as they had all the surveys done, we provided all paperwork we had regarding the house and any work done by us on it in the 12 years we where there to their solicitors and they never asked for anything extra ref the boiler they don’t, but does anyone know for sure, to reassure the wife, who is now a bit worried

(As an aside the house we bought – boiler also broke down last week, bath leaked through kitchen ceiling and cooker keeps blowing the electrics for the whole house)

You’ve sold the house, it’s no longer anything to do with you…
Well, that’s the way I’d see it?

Their house, their boiler.

When we moved we had 5 days to highlight any problems with the heating. After that it’s our problem. I’d say that after 6 months you can quite happily tell them to do one.

Current regs are different to when it was installed. Swivel

6 months – they’ve no comeback, unless someone in the legal knowhow can say otherwise. Its part of the joy of buying houses; sometimes you have to sort out the problems the previous owners left you with.
Id keep it polite but firm, stand your ground.
hope that helps

Nowt to do with you now. Surveyor unlikely to investigate a boiler unless he sees visible evidence of an issue connected with it.

That’s the way I see it too. But the guy was asking really silly questions at times during the sale, nervous first time buyer being guided by surveyors and parents mainly, but I really don’t want to get involved in any games of email tennis with them, but at same time don’t want to just completely ignore them
At end of day he wants to know who installed it, I can’t remember so can’t help too much

6 months!? It’s their house now. Why are they telling you this stuff?

I’d reply saying that’s very interesting but why are they telling you these things?

When we had survey done it simply said that they recommend any gas & electric installations are tested by a qualified person. If they’d done that and found the problem pre-completion then they could have knocked a few quid off the price. Sounds like they didn’t so they can nark off.

So reply politely saying you can’t remember anything and that you wish him luck in finding a solution to his problem.

Don’t get involved in sympathising or offering platitudes. Firm but fair, make it clear you’re not becoming involved.

What big g said but also add a link to this thread .

They did ask for us to get it serviced NorthernMatt, I refused and sent them the receipt for the pump that had been replaced 8 months earlier as evidence of a recent service 😉
I guess part of my concern is if they contact that plumber having a moan and he gets the hump with us, as he is a top guy and we are currently relying on him fitting a pump to the boiler in our new place later this week, and doing some work for us later in the year, and I wouldn’t want him involved in something that’s not his problem either

If the plumber takes the hump (which I’m guessing is unlikely unless he’s got xray vision, a crystal ball or has deliberately ignored a fault – in which case you don’t want him)

If that happens find another plumber.

You worry too much. Their house their problem, just email ’em back saying it was installed ten years ago and you’ve long since lost the paperwork. As for the plumber, work is work and I’m sure he’s glad of it. Them moaning at him is not going to make him not want to work on your house, might put him off working for them though, but again not your problem.

The first time my wife went home crying I swallowed my pride like a good man should and asked her to come back.

The second time she threatened to go home, I drove her there and slung her bags over the fence for good measure.

The point I’m trying to make is buying a house is like getting married. If something goes wrong with it you better be able to live with it, or work on fixing it. If he can’t understand this, turn up with the bombers. When he phones the police just explain that this is how you fix the boiler.

Buyer beware innit?

as other have said, not your problem, firm but polite email back and move on.

Only way it could be down to you is if you knew of the problem and withheld the information. So no there is no come back.

Ignore all communication unless from a solicitor. Our house turned out to have been built / wired / tiled / glazed by a 12 year old. Sucked it up.

the good news is as its more than 4 years old not even the guy who installed it is liable.. a vent incorrectly installed leaking water .. laughable.. alll the above comments are valid act accordingly

Ignore all communication from them. If get a solicitor’s letter pass it to your solicitor.

I’m Scotland at least, a buyer has only 7 days usually to act on any fauts found in the heating system.

Politely wish him luck, no more.

Isn’t this what you get a survey for and pay all the expert tradespeople to check out before you buy the house? Then you negotiate furiously with the owner to get a few £100s knocked off a few £100,000s. Then when you come to get any work done on the house you find out/get told that all previous work has been done by Kermit & Co.

Caveat emptor.

And of course, it’s just the joy of house ownership. You’re then better prepared to expect the same next time around.

When son bought his current house he had a clause written into the buying agreement to cover any boiler issues. He moved in during the summer months, boiler failed as soon as winter arrived. Seller coughed up for a new one

As above don’t reply at all unless it’s from a solicitor -they’ll try and suck you in and then use it against you.

written into the buying agreement to cover any boiler issues

Some people will sign any old crap. I’d have told them to get bent. And had a serious word with my Solicitors about hidden clauses in contracts.

It’s sold. It isn’t your problem; your new house is.

What others said: unless there are other, personal things you are needing to talk to this chap about, no more emails. You might expose yourself.

I wouldn’t even reply.

Put them through to PlanetX.

i.e Don’t reply.

Caveat emptor.

I need to sit down (… oh, wait….) – STW in total agreement shocker!

Well done boys and girls, time to move on to something that we can bicker about.

OP…. let us know if the buyer starts getting shirty – love a good arguement were you know you’re in the right.

Caveat emptor. The only reply to them is to tell them that and to stop bothering you.
I sold a house, three doors up from my own, and a couple of months later a pipe burst/disconnected in the attic and leaked, bringing down ceilings and all sorts. It could have happened at any time to anyone, it just happened to go then, and in addition they had stored things in attic, so *could* have helped cause it. While I had huge sympathy with the owners, I would not and did not have any responsibility.

Just tell them you had a look but no longer have the paperwork, it might just be a friendly enquiry to see if you have the relevant paperwork still.

It is easy to start a silly conflict by assuming they are trying it on, when it more than likely is nothing of the sort.

Whenever I’ve sold a property I’ve made sure that the boiler is serviced just before it goes on the market. It’s something that buyers always ask about.

On the other hand, the central heating in my last property did not work properly and regret not having taken further action as previous owners signed an agreement that property was in good working order when it clearly wasn’t.

Make of that what you will.

Only way it could be down to you is if you knew of the problem and withheld the information.

This ^^^ but nothing wrong with replying stating how long ago boiler was installed & that you no longer have the paperwork.

I wouldn’t jump the gun and say they are trying to hold you responsible, they may just be trying to see if you have any details that may help them.

Not long after we moved to our house, I emailed the seller to ask if they had any work done on a damp patch in the hallway, it wasn’t because I was after anything, I just thought some historical information may have been able to help me find the cause without spending a fortune. I explained this in my email so she knew from the start.

On the same note, the person who bought our last house had TV aerial problems and called me to ask where all the wires ended up (it was a new build house so had a point in every bedroom). As it happened, I was at my sisters who lives a few blocks away so I popped over fixed the problem while showing them where it all went.

Not all people are bad…

hora – Member

Put them through to PlanetX.

i.e Don’t reply.

🙂

I’ve only moved house about three times in the last 30 years, but have been on good terms with both sellers and buyers; the folk (you say first time buyer?) may just be uncertain as to how all this works, maybe with some unhelpful prodding by parents/work colleagues/folk off a forum..

I’d respond politely as above; you’ve looked for the paperwork but can’t lay hands on it. 10 years after install, and 6 months after purchase, I would say your responsibilities are minimal / none. I guess you have to say at what point do you cease to regard it as a house you sold, and rather as their house/ (they need to ask the same question I think).

Firm and polite.

Definitely not your problem.

It all worked to the best of your knowledge and was installed correctly and serviced correctly, so ethically you’re clean and clear.

Buying a house is like buying a car, it’s a working thing, and stuff can and does go wrong with it.

Didn’t the buyer’s surveyor check out the heating system?

It is totally your problen and you are liable to replace the entire system at your cost….

(@sharkbait, is that better? 😉 )