Get an Electrical Installation Condition Report
When you buy a new house, you’ll need to decide what kind of survey to have done. Banks require some kind of valuation, but separate to that, you can commission a report on the structural condition of your home.
Surveys and Homebuyer’s Reports generally tell you about structural issues with a property, but there are some things they don’t cover. Electrical safety may be briefly mentioned, but it’s unlikely your surveyor will go into detail.
That’s why you’ll need more than a survey. You also need an EICR – an Electrical Installation Condition Report.
Note: electrical safety checks are a legal requirement if you rent a property to tenants.
Electrical Safety Checks
In addition to a survey, you’ll probably want to commission an electrical safety check or EICR. These checks are inexpensive – they generally cost less than £100 – but they will provide a wealth of knowledge that a normal survey cannot offer.
Surveyors tend to be able to find signs of possible problems, but they are not qualified to look into the electrical system in any detail.
When MD Bespoke Solutions carries out an electrical safety check, experts visit the property and check various parts of the electrical system.
- The electrician looks at the age of the sockets and switches, the light fittings and the condition of the wiring and will advise if a full house-rewire is required.
- They will also look at the consumer unit to see if it is modern or in need of replacement.
- The check includes a look around fixtures for signs of burning or scorching.
- If wiring has rubber coating, it will be old and may have perished. The electrician normally recommends a rewire in this case.
- You may find that the electrician recommends additional sockets. In older properties, there may only be one socket in each room, but you probably won’t notice this during a viewing.
The safety check will normally make some recommendations for the minimum amount of work needed to make the property safe, plus any practical improvements that might make the electrical system more convenient or future-proof. It is advised to consider any further energy-efficiency options at this point as it can help reduce your ongoing utility bills over time.
Implementing the Changes
After you’ve exchanged contracts, it’s time to review the safety recommendations in the report.
If there are any urgent works needed, MD Bespoke Solutions always recommends that you have these done as soon as you get the keys on completion. Until that point, avoid using the electrical system. Risk of shock is one thing, but risk of fire could claim lives silently, and that’s a risk you should never take.
Occupants must be especially careful not to switch on the power if there are bare wires, missing sockets or fittings or any damage to the fuse box or consumer unit. Fixing issues like this will be relatively inexpensive anyway.
Arranging Your EICR
If you’re buying a house in London or Surrey, don’t leave safety to chance. Once you’ve arranged your survey, contact MD Bespoke Solutions to organise an electrical safety report and, once you have your moving date, you can trust MD Bespoke Solutions to carry out the work.
