MG 5461

Moving to a New Home? Essential Plumbing and Gas Checklist

Author - Scott Findlay 21 Jun 2024

Moving home can be a whirlwind of packing, sorting, and new beginnings! The last thing you want to worry about is your plumbing & heating so we’ve put together a short checklist to ensure yours is fit for purpose.

Safety First: Have a gas engineer carry out a Gas Safety Certificate and thorough check of the whole heating system within the first 5 days of getting the keys so that you can notify your solicitor of any defects. Normally the seller is bound by law to rectify these if they are reported in time. Eg, if it turns out your boiler is faulty or not fit for purpose the seller will likely have to pay for repairs or even replacement. **For more information on how Scott Findlay can help with this see New Homeowner Check below**

Carbon Monoxide Monitors: In Scotland, it is the law that there is a Carbon monoxide monitor near a gas appliance – not having one would be a good indication that the appliances aren’t being well maintained.

Emergency Gas Shut-Off Valve: Locate the valve, usually near the gas meter. Knowing its location and how to operate it in case of an emergency could be crucial.

Locate the Stopcock: Very important in case of an emergency. Often found under the kitchen sink but it may not always be very conveniently located and you may want to consider moving it to a more accessible place in the long term.

Take a meter reading: You will need to take a meter reading as soon as you move in so that you will not be charged for any gas that you haven’t used. Many people have smart meters nowadays, however, always a good idea to take a photograph on your phone of the meter reading when you move in.

Test out your taps, toilets, sinks, showers, and baths and look for any leaks or drainage problems. If these problems weren’t disclosed prior to the sale and are substantial, then you only have a few days to report them (see below re new homeowner check). Check with your solicitor for expert guidance.

Explore Heating Controls: If the house has installed smart heating controls, you may want to become familiar with these quickly so that you can run your heating efficiently and save money.

Radiator Checks: Noisy radiators or hot and cold spots could be a sign of wear and tear in a central heating system and it may be that the radiators need to be bled or that they may require a power flush to clear out the sludge and get them working properly again. Check that your radiator valves work well and your radiators heat evenly, again, this is something you should report to your solicitor within 5 days as any faults should be notified.

Outside: Don’t forget to check that your drains are working well and not overflowing. Outside taps or water features should also be checked.

**New Homeowner Checks from Scott Findlay**

We offer a comprehensive service to ensure that any defects on your heating system are noted and can then be reported to your solicitor within the standard 5-7 day notification period. Don’t wait until it’s too late to discover that you’ve been sold a boiler which isn’t fit for purpose, or a heating system and radiators which are choked solid with sludge and not providing any heat.

If you have any concerns regarding plumbing then we’re happy to inspect issues and advise on how to rectify them.

Remember that we’re always just a phone call away to help with any issues. To request a New Homeowner Check just get in touch and our helpful staff will organise this for you.

You must enable javascript to view this website