When you are in the process of moving home, it is good practice to know exactly what documentation you require as part of your home exchange process and here are a few helpful tips on what you will need:
- Certificate of compliance – this certificate demonstrates that the installation complies with the relevant Building Regulations.
- Original appliance instruction manual.
- Latest chimney sweeping safety record.
- Servicing record.
This can also be required to validate your home insurance
These records are to be kept safe for future reference and ask for these records when purchasing a new property with a solid fuel heating system.
Certificate of Compliance
This certificate demonstrates that the installation complies with the relevant Building Regulations.
Original appliance instruction manual
We highly suggest you leave the instruction manual so that the new homeowner will be able to read up on how to use and operate the appliance safely.
If in a case you have misplaced it, you can obtain a duplicate from your supplier or manufacturer.
Chimney Sweeping Certificate
This certificate can be handed over to the new homeowners so they will know when the chimney was last swept. We encourage you to have your chimney swept at least twice a year when burning wood and at least once when burning smokeless fuels.
New homeowners should know that the best times to have your chimney swept is just before the start of the heating season and after your stove has not been used over a long period of time. When sweeping twice a year, the second time should be after the peak of the main heating season.
Servicing Record
All wood burning appliances require continued maintenance and servicing, to ensure they operate efficiently and safely. A regular service should be carried out at least once a year and must meet the appliance manufacturers requirements given in any maintenance instructions.
Once the service is completed, a servicing and safety record sheet is presented to you as the owner. This will confirm and remedial work required and what checks/tests have been carried out during the service
When you are in the process of moving home, it is advisable to leave a copy of your latest servicing record so that the new homeowners have confirmation of the last service and details of the appliance. This will also help future servicing technicians with having a history of appliance servicing.
How can I obtain a certificate if I don’t have one for my appliance?
To obtain a certificate of compliance, it is recommended contacting a registered installer for assistance as they may be able to re-commission the installation and issue a new notification. The work required for this can depend on factors such as the age of the installation, it’s use and condition and whether it meets the current building regulations.