PIR for house sellers/buyers

[electrician4u]

Can anyone advise whether a PIR is still required on selling/buying a property as several of my customers who've just moved in to their new houses didn't have one, or see a report that one was done with the survey.Was the requirement scrapped with the HIPs by our esteemed government?

 

[malcolmsanford]

Even in the HIP there was never a legal requirement for a PIR.

What mostly happens now is that a surveyor may flag up that a CU is not of the current regulations and this is picked up by the mortgage company/Solicitors who will either insist on a full PIR or that the sellers take out a small insurance policy against any problems associated with the electrical installation.

If there is not mortgage company involved then normally a deal is done between both parties via the solicitors ie a sum is deducted from the price to cover a rewire or a PIR and remedial work.

 

[electrician4u]

there's obviously confusion about this out there (including me!) cos i've been told the requirement's been axed but also had a customer last week say he wanted a PIR cos he was told it was a condition of the sale of the property. so it seems there's no legal requirement, right?

 

[Knobhead]

There may be no legal requirement but the buyer can stipulate what he wants in the contract or the sale doesn’t go through. It’s the seller that has to jump through the hoops to get the sale.

 

[truckster]

I have been asked to do a few lately, I get the impression that it can be used as a bargaining tool to negotiate on price. People are getting savvy when buying a house and solicitors/mortgage companies seem to be advising this course of action.

 

[SirKit Breaker]

I have seen a few cases where the buyers valuation for mortgage purposes has had the comments put on "Electrical Installation gives cause for concern". And as a result i have done a few PIR's for sellers, and quotes to do whatever is required, the buyer and seller can then thrash out a deal based on the cost of remedial works or whatever is needed. It is down to the discretion of the surveyor what he comments on or not. And like most other things they are probably covering their bums so it doesn't come back and bite them.

My son had a valuation on the house he bought a few years ago,

1, electrics give cause for concern.
2, damp proofing needs checking.
3, an in depth inspection of the roof is advised.

The electrics were fine, i replaced his consumer unit just to bring things up to spec.
The damp problem wasn't a problem, a broken fall pipe had been left too long and the water seeped through the stone into the bedroom wall.
The roof was knackered though and he got £5k off the asking price to get a new one fitted.

So these surveyors whilst they can be eagle eyed, will almost always cover their bums.

Cheers...........Howard