House buyers’ electrical condition report
Posted on 25th November 2022
If you are moving house do you think an electrical check is included in your house buyer’s survey? Do you think it’s important?
Across the country millions of properties are bought each year. According to government figures there were just over 11,000 residential property sales in Northamptonshire in the year ending March 2022.
However, research carried out by Electrical Safety First found that only about a third of house buyers have their property’s electrics checked before they buy.
A lot of people mistakenly think that an electrical check is included in their house buyer’s survey or that a check isn’t important.
Sadly, about a third of buyers go on to discover electrical problems that cost £100s to resolve (the average is over £1,700). With a proper check by a qualified electrician before your purchase, these problems could be avoided.
What is an electrical condition report?
The results and measurements included in an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) come with appropriate recommendations, where needed.
The report covers damage, deterioration or defects that could be dangerous if they aren’t addressed. Addressing these issues will give you peace of mind about electrical safety in your new property.
What to look out for
You can’t see many parts of your home’s electrical installation. Cables are often hidden inside the walls and the consumer unit (fuse box) might be hidden in a cupboard.
Faulty and old wiring is one of the main causes of home fires and the risk can be reduced by checking the condition of cables, switches, sockets and other accessories.
Look for fixed cables coated in black rubber which stopped being used in the 1960s or even cables coated in lead or fabric that would have been used before that time. Round pin sockets or light switches, braided flex, or sockets mounted in or on skirting boards are all signs of old wiring that shouldn’t be ignored. If the fuse box has a wooden back, cast iron switches, or there are several fuse boxes then a professional review of the property’s electrics is a good idea.
Even if your electrics are in good condition a check by a professional electrician at least every 10 years will give you peace of mind.
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