It has been one of those days.

We went out to a lovely young couple who have just moved into their first home. They asked for an EICR to be done before they bought the property, and the people selling it said no, they were not willing to pay for one. That is a fair enough decision on their part, sellers do not have to agree to it. But if you are buying and the seller will not pay for an EICR, my advice is simple: offer to pay for one yourself before you exchange or complete.

This couple had been in the house about three months when we went round to test it, and it failed badly.

What We Found

There was no earthing to the water or gas services. No earths on any of the lighting circuits. Every light fitting in the house was metal, and without an earth, metal fittings are not safe to use. Lighting and power were mixed together on the same circuits, which is not how it should be done, and the whole board was unbalanced as a result. By the time we arrived, they had already started decorating.

Having to tell someone in that position that they need a full rewire is genuinely one of the worst parts of this job. It should be an exciting time, picking your furnishings and making a house your own, and instead they are looking at ripping walls apart.

All of it could have been avoided.

Why an EICR Matters When You Are Buying

An EICR before you buy is like an MOT for a home’s electrics. It tells you exactly what state the wiring is in before you are committed to the purchase. If it comes back clean, you have peace of mind. If it comes back with problems, and it can be a report like this couple’s, you are in a strong position. You can go back to the seller and negotiate the cost of putting it right off the purchase price, because you have proof of what needs doing before you have bought the problem.

Once you have completed on the house, that leverage is gone. You own the wiring, the fuse board, the lot, exactly as it is. In this couple’s case that means a full rewire, no safe way to use the metal light fittings they already have, and a fuse board that is going to keep tripping until the underlying wiring is sorted.

What To Do If You Are Buying a House

If you are in the process of buying a house, and there is no EICR in place, ask for one. If the seller says no, pay for it yourself before exchange or completion. It does not have to be us, though obviously I would love it to be. Whoever does it, get it done before you are legally committed, not after.

If you have already had an EICR done and want to understand what the codes on the report actually mean, we have a free guide that walks through it.

Thinking of Buying a House in Rotherham or South Yorkshire?

Get in touch and we will arrange your pre-purchase EICR quickly, so you know exactly what you are buying before you are committed to it. Message us on WhatsApp or book a free quote.