Electrics and gas
What can a surveyor say about rewireable fuses without testing the installation?
They can say the consumer unit is an old rewireable type, which is visible, and that they have not tested it. They cannot say the circuits are safe or unsafe. Rewireable fuses are a form of protection, not a test result. An EICR is what classifies the installation. A Level 2 does not do that 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?
The carrier, the wire and the lack of modern devices are things a surveyor can see with the cover on or off if they open it safely. They do not measure earth fault loop or insulation resistance. GOV.UK’s landlord guidance expects a qualified person to inspect rented homes at least every five years and to use codes. Selling your own home is outside that duty, which is why the survey keeps saying “not tested”.
Replacing the board is often what an electrician recommends after an inspection, not before one. Ask the surveyor whether they saw signs of overheating or simply an old board. Then decide whether to commission the EICR before exchange. Do not deduct a rewire figure the survey never calculated. RICS does not publish one.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Did you see overheating, or only rewireable carriers?
- Was the cover removed?
- Is the recommendation an EICR rather than a specified rewire?
What are the typical next steps?
- Do not pull fuses out during a viewing.
- Ask the seller for any previous electrical certificate. Old paper is not a current test.
- If you need codes, book the inspection. Then talk about price.
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
Are rewireable fuses illegal in a house you own?
They are old equipment, not a criminal offence sitting on the wall. Whether they are acceptable is what an inspection decides. The survey has not decided it.
Does a sticker on the board mean it was tested?
A sticker is a label. Read the date and the name. It is not the surveyor’s test.