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Survey finding

Aluminium wiring on your survey: how serious is it?

Needs attention

Aluminium wiring is a Cat 3 finding. This page covers the safety position and the realistic remediation costs.

Last updated: 6 May 2026. Editorially reviewed: 20 May 2026.

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Finding

Aluminium wiring

Needs attention

What this usually means

Aluminium-conductor cabling was used in some UK homes in the 1960s-70s. Aluminium expands and contracts more than copper, and connections at terminations can loosen over time, creating fire risk. UK use was less widespread than the US/Canada.

Why it matters

Insurers and lenders take aluminium wiring seriously. A satisfactory EICR or full rewire is the standard expectation.

Ask your surveyor

  • Check:Have you confirmed aluminium cabling, or is it suspected based on age?
  • Check:What is the condition of terminations at sockets, switches, and the consumer unit?

Ask the seller

  • Check:Has any rewiring work been done?
  • Check:Do you have any electrician's reports or test certificates?

Next steps

  • •Get two written quotes from local trades before negotiating with the seller.
  • •Speak to your mortgage broker before exchanging if the finding affects mortgageability.
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Cross-check this finding with EPC, building age, and address-specific risk data.

What you need to know

Severity

3/ 5

Significant. Specialist follow-up usually warranted before exchange.

Typical cost to fix

EICR £150-£300. Full rewire £4,500-£8,000 (3-bed) is the usual remediation.

Mortgage impact

Common retention until satisfactory EICR or rewire complete.

Insurance impact

Some insurers exclude electrical fire cover or load premiums.

When to pull out

Not on its own.

When to renegotiate, and by how much

Full rewire cost less depreciation; typical reduction £3,000-£6,000.

Thinking of pulling out or renegotiating? What to do after a bad survey

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How MyPropertyScan produces this guide, and what it is not

Published by MyPropertyScan and written by , who is accountable for its accuracy. No page here is written or reviewed by a chartered surveyor, conveyancer or regulated adviser, and we do not claim otherwise.

This page is not:

Figures and process steps come from the published UK datasets and standards listed on this page, not from professional practice. Pages are updated when source coverage, survey cost assumptions, or lender and legal requirements materially change. Dataset limitations are set out on the methodology page.

Spotted something out of date or wrong? Email hello@mypropertyscan.com and we will correct it and change the update date.

Sources used

We use UK public and specialist sources where they are available. Public datasets can be incomplete, delayed, or missing for some addresses. Treat them as a starting point, not as a replacement for professional advice.

Source standard: preference goes to official government datasets, statutory bodies, professional standards, and primary dataset publishers. We cite the source family on the page and explain coverage limits rather than filling gaps with unsupported estimates.

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