Electrics and gas

What is rubber-insulated cable, and why can a surveyor mention it without testing the circuit?

Older rubber insulation around cables dries and cracks, and a surveyor who can see that in a loft may say so. Seeing perished rubber is not an insulation-resistance test, and it is not a quotation for a rewire. The electrical safety of the circuit is what an EICR is for.

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?

A home survey does not remove accessories or apply test voltages. The Level 3 description limits services to the visible parts and says the surveyor does not assess the safety of the electrics. Rubber, lead-sheathed or fabric-covered cables are a visual clue that the installation is old. Modern PVC cable in the same loft can mean part of the house was rewired and part was not. The surveyor should say what they could see, not certify the hidden runs.

GOV.UK’s codes belong to the qualified person who tests. Owner-occupiers selling are outside the landlord duty, so you may not be given an EICR with the fixtures list. If the survey has seen perished rubber, it is reasonable to ask for one before you commit. The price of that test, and of any rewire that might follow, is for the electrician to quote after they have seen the installation. Do not use a forum average.

What should you ask your surveyor?

Where did you see rubber or fabric cable, and where was the wiring hidden?
Did you see a later PVC rewire as well, or only the old cable?
Are you recommending a test, rather than stating that a full rewire is required?

What are the typical next steps?

Do not tug perished cable in the loft to see if it cracks.
If the finding matters to the loan or to your plans, instruct an EICR and give the electrician the survey sentence.
Ask the seller whether any rewire was notified under building regulations. The survey may not have seen a certificate.

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

Is one length of rubber in a loft proof the whole house is the same?

No. Installations get altered in parts. Only a test, and opening-up where it is justified, can map it. The survey has not done that.

Can you insure a house with rubber cable?

Ask the insurer. The survey is not the proposal form, and it has not graded the circuit.