Electrical checks before buying a buy-to-let

Ask the seller for

• The most recent EICR and any remedial certificates
• Certificates for any rewiring, consumer unit change or extension work
• Building control completion certificates for notifiable work in England and Wales

Look for these on a viewing

• An old fuse box with rewireable fuses or no RCDs
• Round-pin sockets, sockets on skirtings or very few sockets per room
• Rubber-insulated cable at the consumer unit or in the loft
• Signs of DIY work such as surface cable fixed with nails

Budgeting

A consumer unit upgrade is the most common large cost, from £495 with us. A full rewire is a significant job that needs a site visit to price. Commissioning an EICR before exchange turns these into known numbers you can negotiate on.