Clearance of electrical work for selling house

[mfarrow]

The electrician has just mailed me and said to say 'yes' we had works done but they were all non notifiable works under section 'P'

Ah, sorry I was under the impression you had certificates for the big stuff.

Yes, a consumer unit (trip switch system) change is notifiable. He should have issued a certificate at least, which will be an Electrical Installation Certificate.

You should also have received Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificates for the minor work, but this work won't be as obvious as a new consumer unit so I wouldn't be worried about it.

 

[JohnW2]

The electrician has just mailed me and said to say 'yes' we had works done but they were all non notifiable works under section 'P'

In that case, the certificates mentioned as (b) and (c) on the conveyancving form do not, and cannot, exist. However, as for (a), although (as you've been told) there is no such thing as a "BS7671 Electrical Safety Certificate", they are presumably referring to an 'Electrical Installation Certificate' or 'Minor Works Certificate' (both specified by BS7671) - one of which the electrician should have provided at the time, and (since you're now in contact with him) probably could provide retrospectively.

Kind Regards, John

 

[doggyvonne]

The electrician has just mailed me and said to say 'yes' we had works done but they were all non notifiable works under section 'P'

Can you detail the work they did?
I may have misunderstood that they installed a new fuse board, also they should regardless of this, produced evidence of any electrical work that was carried out, was safely done, this means although they may not need to notify the work they still will have to issue either an electrical installation cert or minor work certs.

I am not that technical sorry but I will attempt to find out

 

[doggyvonne]

The electrician has just mailed me and said to say 'yes' we had works done but they were all non notifiable works under section 'P'

Ah, sorry I was under the impression you had certificates for the big stuff.

Yes, a consumer unit (trip switch system) change is notifiable. He should have issued a certificate at least, which will be an Electrical Installation Certificate.

You should also have received Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificates for the minor work, but this work won't be as obvious as a new consumer unit so I wouldn't be worried about it.

OK many thanks

 

[TonyW2]

Not sure if this is highjacking, but as some electrical work is non-notifiable and could be legitimate DIY it looks as though the conveyancing questions are not completely logical and do not give full response options for what may be a valid situation.

 

[JohnW2]

Not sure if this is highjacking, but as some electrical work is non-notifiable and could be legitimate DIY it looks as though the conveyancing questions are not completely logical and do not give full response options for what may be a valid situation.

The questions aren't too bad, and one can qualify one's answers if necessary. As I said to the OP, in the case of non-notifiable work, the certificates mentioned at (b) and (c) on the conveyancing form (TA6) would not be available - but I presume that (a) relates to an EIC or MWC, one of which should theoretically be completed for any electrical work (as a means of attempting to confirm compliance with part P of the Building regs, which applies to all electrical work, whether notifiable or not), even if undertaken by a DIYer (yes, I know they usually don't, but ....!).

However, as I've said to the OP, in practice I don't think there is hardly ever any 'issue' that cannot be resolved provided one is honest. A family member of mine buys and/or sells houses nearly every week. The nature of many of the properties is such that, whilst it is obvious that electrical work has been undertaken since Jan 2005, no information about it, let alone any paperwork or certificates, is available. She (when the vendor) deals with the questions, and subsequent discussions, honestly, and vendors generally do likewise when she is the buyer - and there are very rarely any significant problems that cannot be easily resolved.

Kind Regards, John

 

[SimonH2]

... it looks as though the conveyancing questions are not completely logical and do not give full response options for what may be a valid situation.

Hmm, this is the legal profession we're talking about - and you expect logic ? Most likely it's simply a case of the form having been updated with the introduction of notification requirements in 2005, but not being updated to allow for the 2013 relaxation of notification requirements.

It's now 8, heading on for 9 years, since the regs came in. More and more situations will be have the only sensible answer as "HTF do I know what a previous owner did ?" which makes the question worthless.

 

[JohnW2]

Hmm, this is the legal profession we're talking about - and you expect logic ? Most likely it's simply a case of the form having been updated with the introduction of notification requirements in 2005, but not being updated to allow for the 2013 relaxation of notification requirements.

The version of form TA6 being quoted here is the Law Society's 2013 revision, but I don't know exactly when it was produced. However, I don't think that the relaxation of notification requirements actually makes any difference to the questions. It is clear from the (a) document they specify that they have an interest in all work, notifiable or not, since all electrical work became regulated by law (i.e. 'Part P') in 2005, and nothing about that has changed.

It's now 8, heading on for 9 years, since the regs came in. More and more situations will be have the only sensible answer as "HTF do I know what a previous owner did ?" which makes the question worthless.

Indeed. The instructions to sellers in the preamble to TA6 says

"You are not required to have knowledge .... of matters that occurred prior to your ownership of the property."

... and the corresponding instructions for buyers says:

"You should not expect the seller to have knowledge of, or give information about, matters prior to their ownership of the property"

As you say, 2005 is rapidly disappearing into history. We are approaching the time at which buyers should probably be much more concerned about properties which have not had anything done to (and hence probably no inspection of) the electrical installation since January 2005, rather than those which have had work done since 2005!

Kind Regards, John

 

[ivixor]

Just say "Yes the house has had work done, and no i don't have certificates".

Easy!

 

[JohnW2]

Just say "Yes the house has had work done, and no i don't have certificates". Easy!

Quite so ...

The only answer you have to give on the conveyancing form is yes/no to whether any electrical work has been undertaken since 1st January 2005. If (as you will have to, if you're being honest) you answer 'yes', you will probably be asked to provide any documentation you have. If you have not been able to obtain any, you simply say so, and tell the truth ...

... in practice I don't think there is hardly ever any 'issue' that cannot be resolved provided one is honest. A family member of mine buys and/or sells houses nearly every week. The nature of many of the properties is such that, whilst it is obvious that electrical work has been undertaken since Jan 2005, no information about it, let alone any paperwork or certificates, is available. She (when the vendor) deals with the questions, and subsequent discussions, honestly, and vendors generally do likewise when she is the buyer - and there are very rarely any significant problems that cannot be easily resolved.

Kind Regards, John