26 Nov Buying a home in Birmingham? Don’t forget your EICR electrical check.
Are you looking for you new property in Birmingham?
It’s a scary fact that most home buyers are exposing themselves to increased fire risk due to inadequate or no EICR electrical checks before purchasing
CONTACT Able Electric 0121 2966430
According to the UK’s leading safety charity, Electrical Safety First, there is a huge lack of understanding of property surveys, combined with a rush to purchase homes which is leaving home buyers vulnerable.
The charity is trying to draw attention to the huge risk that home owners are putting themselves under by not properly checking the electrics in their new home before they make the purchase. Two thirds of the homes bought in the last year have not been checked, leaving the new owners at risk of significant bills and even electric shock or fire.
There were 2,451,050 residential sales in the last two years. Figures released by Electrical Safety First indicate that only 37%, were checked with an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). This report is the only way to be certain that the electrics in a property are safe. Contrary to what many may think, this is not included as part of a Homebuyers Survey or, typically, as part of a full building survey.
As buyers rush to purchase homes in a buoyant market, the quality of the boiler, roof, damp and structure are top of people’s check-lists but the quality of the electrics is not being prioritised. Figures indicate that half the population is unaware there is any check that can help them make a fully informed decision on whether the quality of the electrics needs consideration before final prices are agreed and contracts exchanged.
Phil Buckle, Director General of Electrical Safety First says:
“It’s easy to bypass checking the electrics when purchasing a property if you think it is included in the recommended home survey report –our research suggests this is the case for around 20% of people. However, not conducting an EICR significantly increases the risk of additional expense, and electric shock or fire, to the buyer and their family. We’re encouraging people to use a registered electrician to do a quick and relatively inexpensive check to ensure they know exactly what they’re getting into with the property purchase.”
Over a third of home buyers report finding issues with their electrics after they have moved in, with one in ten saying they experienced injury or fire. The cost of remedying electrical issues after moving in averages approximately £2000; with some costs rising as high as £10,000.
To get specialist help on how to go about getting an EICR for your new Birmingham property you can visit EICRtesting.com
EICRtesting,com is a subsidiary of Able Electric who only use fully qualified NICEIC Electrician’s to carry out EICR electrical testing.
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