Guarantee for full house rewire

[mrelliott]

My elderly parents are in the process of purchasing a bungalow which had a full rewire 2 years ago. The solicitor has verified that there's a Building reg's certificate but we wanted to know about any guarantee.
This is the vendors solicitors response to the query

"They (the sellers) have also stated that they have a building regulations certificate provided by NICEIC on behalf of the registered installer. The original copy will be left within the property. The certificate provides details of the NICEIC PLATINUM PROMISE which can assist in resolving any future problems"

Still not clear if there's a guarantee. Would an electrician usually provide a guarantee, or is the guarantee part of NICEIC certificate?

Grateful for any advice. Thanks

 

[EFLImpudence]

There should also be an Electrical Installation Certificate, a Schedule of Inspections and a Schedule of Test Results.
These will have the name of the Electrician or Company who carried out the rewire.
However, if these are lost or not supplied by the vendors then there isn't much you can do apart from allow for it in the buying price.

I may be wrong - but I think the Platinum Promise is an automatic insurance policy against damage or repairs if something untoward happens.

The Certificate of Compliance, to which the solicitor refers, states (guarantees, if you like) that the work complies with the regulations at the time - i.e. done properly.

You can't expect free repairs of accessories for ever, or even a designated time period (already two years), unless you can show that it was due to negligence or poor workmanship.

What did you have in mind and what would you do if the bungalow had not had a rewire?



It's all down to the price of the bungalow, really.

 

[mrelliott]

There should also be an Electrical Installation Certificate, a Schedule of Inspections and a Schedule of Test Results.
These will have the name of the Electrician or Company who carried out the rewire.
However, if these are lost or not supplied by the vendors then there isn't much you can do apart from allow for it in the buying price.

I may be wrong - but I think the Platinum Promise is an automatic insurance policy against damage or repairs if something untoward happens.

The Certificate of Compliance, to which the solicitor refers, states (guarantees, if you like) that the work complies with the regulations at the time - i.e. done properly.

You can't expect free repairs of accessories for ever, or even a designated time period (already two years), unless you can show that it was due to negligence or poor workmanship.

What did you have in mind and what would you do if the bungalow had not had a rewire?



It's all down to the price of the bungalow, really.

Bungalow is top price for it's size in the area because it's had a lot of work done by current owners who bought it in 2016. Not just the rewire, but new combi boiler and rad's, new kitchen and bathroom and completely new block paved driveway/parking to the front.

They aren't producing a guarantee for the boiler and they haven't had it serviced since it was installed.
The block paving/driveway at the front is above the recommended height in relation to DPC (1 brick below rather than 2), no planning permission and doesn't appear to meet the criteria of "permeable" ie no soakaway.
No guarantee- but they've given the name of the company who did it and their website states they provide a 10 yr guarantee against sinking.
Plus they haven't had the kerb dropped where they've added the extra parking which we will have to do

If I go to the NICEIC and search by address I can see there's a document available to purchase.
All they have produced copies of is the building reg's compliance certificate.

We don't have any experience of full rewires that's why I was asking here.
It looks like the platinum promise provides help if the work doesn't meet building reg's

"Our Platinum Promise is a demonstration of our commitment to ensuring that installation work is safe and compliant with the regulations. It will protect you should installation work undertaken by an NICEIC registered contractor not meet the required building regulations or installation standards.
As part of our Platinum Promise we will support you through our resolution process to make sure the installation is put right. This includes taking the necessary steps to put the work right in the event that the original contractor is no longer able to"

 

[Notch7]

above the recommended height in relation to DPC (1 brick below rather than 2)

Thats not really an issue. The 2 bricks is to maintain enough height to minimise rain splash. Building inspectors will usually agree to a 1 brick height for an extension.

no planning permission and doesn't appear to meet the criteria of "permeable" ie no soakaway.

Is there not a fall to a gully or aco drain anywhere? Driveways don't need to be permeable, they do need to discharge into a soakaway on the same land.

 

[JP_]

I think the best action is to get a survey done, including electrical survey, and go by that.
Having had damp problems in my house, I'd be most wary about the raised driveway. Maybe they just paved over the existing one?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The block paving/driveway at the front .. no planning permission and doesn't appear to meet the criteria of "permeable" ie no soakaway.

I would be far far more worried about that than the rewire.

 

[mrelliott]

Thats not really an issue. The 2 bricks is to maintain enough height to minimise rain splash. Building inspectors will usually agree to a 1 brick height for an extension.

Is there not a fall to a gully or aco drain anywhere? Driveways don't need to be permeable, they do need to discharge into a soakaway on the same land.

but surely rain splash is a different issue to water run off from a large area of hard standing when it comes to the potential for damp issues? Other people have said it's not an issue, but then why have best practice standards which say 2 bricks? Why not just do it right ?

My understanding is that they need to be permeable or have a system which ensures surface water doesn't run into the main drains. If not then planning is required. Can't see any evidence to suggest that any run off isn't just being directed into the same gully as the guttering downpipe at the side of the house

I would be far far more worried about that than the rewire.

We are! Worried that when we ask about dropping the kerb across the new parking area council might ask about planning for the drive and also that we might end up with damp. Parents are 81 and 86 so it's not a long term investment and something that'll probably rear it's head when we sell

I think the best action is to get a survey done, including electrical survey, and go by that.
Having had damp problems in my house, I'd be most wary about the raised driveway. Maybe they just paved over the existing one?

Have has a full structural survey done, but not electrical. We wanted to know what "the norm" was re warranties/guarantees for rewires
That's why we've raised queries. The surveyor thought they might have done that but made little other comment re planning permission or whether there was a soakaway etc etc. The sellers have provided the name of the company who did the block paving and they've been around for a long time, provide details of how they construct block paved driveways (which doesn't sound like permeable construction ie it's compacted sand immediately below the blocks and compacted hard core below that) and say they provide a 10 yr guarantee against sinkage but the sellers haven't mentioned one

 

[winston1]

My understanding is that they need to be permeable or have a system which ensures surface water doesn't run into the main drains. If not then planning is required. Can't see any evidence to suggest that any run off isn't just being directed into the same gully as the guttering downpipe at the side of the house

Guttering downpipe shouldn't go into the main drains either. It should go into a soakaway. If the downpipe is correct so is the drain off for the paving.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Guttering downpipe shouldn't go into the main drains either. It should go into a soakaway. If the downpipe is correct so is the drain off for the paving.

That probably varies by location and over time. The houses around here (where soakaways become ponds in the space of a few days), built 60-odd years ago, have guttering downpipes connected to the drains and the sewers.

 

[mrelliott]

Guttering downpipe shouldn't go into the main drains either. It should go into a soakaway. If the downpipe is correct so is the drain off for the paving.

Sorry- I didn't appreciate this. I've attached photos. The down pipe/drain is up the side of the house and it appears that the block paving is sloped in that direction. The last photo is from 2016

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Try the planning forum here - I'm pretty sure that PP would not have been needed, as it wasn't a case of paving over a new area, it was replacing/repairing/renovating existing paving.

 

[securespark]

OOI, where is this house?

In my area, bungalow prices are shooting up. You get very little compared to a house for the same money.

 

[mrelliott]

OOI, where is this house?

In my area, bungalow prices are shooting up. You get very little compared to a house for the same money.

Exactly the same here. They're like hens' teeth ,p;us "developers" are buying ones that haven't been touched for years but doing silly things like putting baths with showers over in bathrooms and just generally not thinking about accessibility.Price per square foot compared to houses is about double so younger people aren't going to pay through the nose for them.

 

[securespark]

To my way of thinking, bungalows are all about accessibility. Yet near us, there are many of them on a hill, meaning they have steep driveways and steps up to the front door.

 

[securespark]

This one has been mucked about with by someone who seems not to understand the market and it's not even finished off outside!
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-60374167.html

This one needs "a little updating", also not finished off outside. But even worse, some of its land has been sold off so the "developer" could put a new-build slap up against it.
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-65068273.html

Here's a sat shot and streetview when the build was just beginning:

So, by comparison, if you buy this house you have bugger all garden or driveway, a house inches from yours, you need to renovate and it costs more than it used to before "development"....