Electrics and gas
Electric underfloor heating in a bathroom was not tested. What do you know?
You know the surveyor was told about it, or saw a thermostat or a floor that is heated electrically. You do not know that the mat works, that the cable is undamaged, or that the circuit is suitable. The survey did not switch it on as a test.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
Electric underfloor heating sits in the floor, so almost all of it is concealed. A thermostat, a floor probe, or a note in the particulars is what the visit can usually see. The surveyor does not lift tiles, and they do not carry out an electrical test of the mat. A cold floor on the day may mean the heating was off, the stat was down, or the system has failed. Those cannot be separated without a proper inspection. Do not turn an unknown system to maximum during a viewing.
A certificate for the installation, if the seller has one, is not a test of the mat today. Ask your solicitor to request whatever paper exists, and read the room it names. If you need condition, ask an electrician whether this circuit can be included in an EICR. Landlord inspections at least every five years are a rented-sector duty, not a duty on an owner-occupier who is selling. Codes from that inspection are not RICS ratings. Keep this electric floor separate from a wet heating manifold, which is pipes and valves, not a mat under the tiles.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- What did you see: a thermostat, a notice, or only a bathroom floor?
- Did you operate the heating? If not, say so.
- Are you distinguishing this from a piped underfloor system?
What are the typical next steps?
- Ask the seller how the floor is heated and for any certificate.
- Do not use the thermostat as a test.
- If you commission an EICR, name the bathroom floor so it is in or out of scope on purpose.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
Does a warm floor mean the electrics passed?
No. Warmth, if you felt it, is not an insulation test or a certificate.
Is a thermostat in the bathroom proof the circuit is protected as it should be?
No. The survey did not trace the circuit. An electrician can.