What to look at during viewings
You don't need to be an expert to spot clues:
- The consumer unit: old fuse box, wooden backboard or no RCD 'Test' button
- Old-style sockets, round-pin sockets or sockets in skirting boards
- Brown or black switches and old pattress boxes
- Too few sockets and lots of extension leads
- Scorch marks or discoloured sockets
- Signs of DIY: odd cables clipped to walls or dangling light fittings
Documents to ask for
Ask the seller for electrical installation certificates, building regulations certificates for notifiable work and any recent EICR. Your conveyancer will often ask too, especially for work such as extensions or new consumer units.
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Your survey isn't an electrical test
A building survey may flag electrical concerns, but surveyors don't test circuits. If you have any doubts – or the house is older – commission an EICR before exchange. It gives you a clear picture and, if work is needed, a basis for renegotiating.
