Stuff in a house viewed to purchase - boiler, electrics

[David]

Apologies for the rush.

Friend is viewing a house (currently a rental) and trying to price up any work.

The two pictures are the wiring (fuse box etc.) and the boiler.

Don't know if it is a system or a combi boiler but the mechanical timer makes it look old. As far as we can tell the house was refurbished in 2006 but both the boiler and the wiring look much older.

I am assuming that the wiring is at least safe as it is a rental and there seem to be notices of testing on the meter.

Also the gas boiler should have had an annual safety check. Tenants say that the boiler has failed twice in the last 8 months.

As tenants are in for a while it is difficult to go and give the place a look over myself, especially as it is in another part of the country.

Any comments and suggestions most welcome.

A quick look at system boilers (first guess)shows WB at around £800-£1100 plus fitting.

Cheers

Dave R

[Bob Minchin]

There is no requirement to have tested electrics for a rental (but obviously prudent) so you assumption is flawed. All gas appliances in a rental do have to have an annual Gas Safe check and certificate issued and so the vendor ought have that and be willing to show you.

[Bob Minchin]

Nothing there that would concern me much. A boiler change is small beer in terms of the purchase price of a house. The wiring is not pretty but has RCD protection. Wired fuses are a bit old but there is no requirement to change them to latest regs unless other significant work is going on. Your friend could use the two recent failures of the boiler to knock the price down.

Looking at structural issues is far more important in my book.

[Andy Burns]

It's a bit messy, and the main CU is missing the cover over the fuses, the photo is too low resolution to see any more than that, but it looks functional.

[David]

Yes, I know it isn't compulsory for the electrics.

However I thought I had spotted a testing label - yes, the fuse box has some kind of testing label dated 17/8/17 with next test due 17/8/22.

It is a bit blurred but it mentions wiring regulations; I suspect that this is a firm drumming up trade by pretending that regular inspection is mandatory instead of just a good idea.

I do wonder if this is contemporary with the fitting of the new MCB.

I remember that when we did up a previous house the plumber required the wiring to be done by his own electrician, who in turn insisted on dong a check on the wiring before he would touch it. He also insisted on replacing the fuses with plug in breakers although this NG confirmed that this was not a mandatory requirement.

So my current (cough) thought is that the wiring was tested before the new breaker was fitted and the sticker affixed then. As far as I know a reputable electrician won't work on house wiring without first checking that it is safe.

Bottom line; some sparky seems to have tested it in August 2017.

Cheers

Dave R

[David]

Any one with experience of Radiant boilers?

I'm struggling to find a picture which will help me identify the age and type.

Cheers

Dave R

[John Rumm]

The boiler could be a Radiant Bruciatori "Midy" or "Solo", model - they seem to share that front panel design. Something like RBS 20 E, or RS

20E, or 24E, or 30E. If its one of those, then its a combi.

The manual I have for it[1] has a date on of 2002.

There is a UK helpline number of 01329 828555, so you may be able to get some more info form them.

[1] I have user and installation manuals for a number of Radiant boilers. Let me know if you want any.

[David]

Thanks, John, very helpful.

The mechanical timer looked so archaic I was guessing it was earlier.

I remember fitting a WB combi in 2006 which was all modern and looks much like the one we have in the current house.

All guessing at the moment, trying to work out if it would be an urgent replacement or good for a couple of years more.

Cheers

Dave R

[ARW]

It looks like the fuse board is run via a Memara RCD main switch, the style of which was used around 10 years ago. That would suggest that the electrics cannot be that bad or it would be tripping.

Normally a domestic property would get a ten year date on the sticker before the next inspection. And tested on 17/-9/2017? Just as the property went on the market by any chance?

The new CU looks like a Square D CU. The were bought out by Schneider about 10 years ago. So possibly the new CU went for a couple of new circuits at the same time as the RCD main switch during the refurb.

I suppose your friend could ask to see a copy of the test sheets.

[David]

Need to get an offer accepted first. :-)

As far as I know the property went on the market some time last year but didn't sell. Timing and reasons still not clear. It has only recently (weeks) come on the market this year.

History suggests it had a major structural refurbish around 2005/06 which would time in with the age of the RCD.

Still getting my heads around the pictures.

Will upload to the FAQ.

Cheers

Dave R

[John Rumm]

Well its only urgent if it does not work at all ;-)

Until then, you may as well leave it alone, unless its too weedy in terms of available power.

[David]

Yeah.

It is the "failed twice in 8 months" according to the tenants which is the main concern.

Winter is not the time to have the boiler fail. Better to replace it in the summer.

Cheers

Dave R

[Rob Morley]

That depends very much on the particular faults - it could have been something simple and trivial to DIY fix. Sight of the bills might be enlightening (or the engineer might have made a small job into a big one).

[Vir Campestris]

The guy who mends a boiler is not an engineer. That's the guy who designed it.

Andy