I have just seen the post above on due diligence. If you are doing any sort of work, especially for payment, you have a statutory and common law duty to exercise due diligence.


I know of a case many years ago where a contractor sent one of their employees in to do and inspect and test for a potential buyer.


A less than thorough inspect and test was carried out and a PIR as it was then was issued. After the buyer occupied the house she wanted the wall lights changed. Another electrician was called in to install some nice new wall lights and found the existing ones (Class 1) were not earthed and there was no CPC present so the electrician said, quite properly, I cannot install these and explained why.


The new owner, who was lawyer , then went to town on the contractor who issued the PIR. She claimed that she would not have purchased the house had she had known about the dangerous condition as she could have been killed or seriously injured and made a huge claim in the Count Court. It was settled before court with the contractor completely rewiring the property and paying for the making good and decoration.


Never a good idea to upset a lawyer as if the dispute ends up in court thy are playing a home match and you are going to get comprehensively stuffed.

I have just seen the post above on due diligence. If you are doing any sort of work, especially for payment, you have a statutory and common law duty to exercise due diligence.


I know of a case many years ago where a contractor sent one of their employees in to do and inspect and test for a potential buyer.


A less than thorough inspect and test was carried out and a PIR as it was then was issued. After the buyer occupied the house she wanted the wall lights changed. Another electrician was called in to install some nice new wall lights and found the existing ones (Class 1) were not earthed and there was no CPC present so the electrician said, quite properly, I cannot install these and explained why.


The new owner, who was lawyer , then went to town on the contractor who issued the PIR. She claimed that she would not have purchased the house had she had known about the dangerous condition as she could have been killed or seriously injured and made a huge claim in the Count Court. It was settled before court with the contractor completely rewiring the property and paying for the making good and decoration.


Never a good idea to upset a lawyer as if the dispute ends up in court thy are playing a home match and you are going to get comprehensively stuffed.