Homebuyer Report didn't identify woodburner isn't certified. Advice? - Corsa Sport - for Vauxhall and Opel Corsa B, Corsa C and Corsa D

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nibnob21

Premium Member

Registered: 16th May 10
Location: South Derbyshire
User status: Offline

10th Oct 16 at 16:35

Bought our house last November and I’ve just found out the chimney isn’t lined and the woodburner hasn’t been HETAS certified. We only used the woodburner a handful of times last year as it doesn’t draw well at all…because it isn’t lined.

I’m almost certain the woodburner was installed after 2010, which means it should have the HETAS plaque and a CO2 sensor in the room. I could have sworn when we bought the place I’d checked with the solicitors that the correct paperwork was there for the woodburner but frustratingly I can find no evidence of this.

I’ve checked our homebuyers report (that an independent estate agent carried out under instruction from Nationwide) and they recognise the presence of the woodburner but haven’t followed it up by asking to see the installation certificate. Yet they were on the ball with the out of date paperwork for the boiler that hadn’t been serviced for over a year.

Wording from the survey is "The multi-fuel room heater in the lounge has a brick surround and slate hearth. Heating installations should be installed and serviced regularly (usually every year) by an appropriately qualified person who is registered under the government-approved ' competent person' scheme." And they've scored it a 1 - essentially meaning no repair is currently needed and it should be maintained in the normal way.

I’ve got a couple of quotes for getting the chimney lined (circa £1000) but was wondering whether the surveyors should be picking up part of the bill for failing to do such a simple part of their job by not highlighting to us of the possibility the paperwork wasn't in place. I imagined checking a woodburner complied with building regs would be their bread and butter.

Any advice?

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RichR

Premium Member

Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
User status: Offline

10th Oct 16 at 19:22

Chimney is easy to line yourself and actually isn't a requirement of HETAS afaik; I lined with a 316 SS liner, had a custom register plate made and bought all the fittings and vermiculite for around £500 iirc: it is a piece of piss to do though.

AndyKent

Member

Registered: 3rd Sep 05
User status: Offline

10th Oct 16 at 20:38

I expect you'll find theres a clause in there somewhere that the survey undertaker is not liable for omissions (especially for items hidden by finishes).

Besides, on the basis that your survey was (at a guess) £200-300, there isn't going to be much money left over to claim against.

VegasPhil

Premium Member

Registered: 16th Jan 05
Location: Fareham, Hants Drives: Octavia VRS
User status: Offline

11th Oct 16 at 15:05

Your solicitor should just about have the files. They have to keep them for 6 years I think. Ask them to pull them out.

Might have to pay a fee to retrieve them from archive though.....

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DaveyLC

Member

Registered: 8th Oct 08
Location: Berkshire
User status: Offline

11th Oct 16 at 15:09