I'm not clear from the article, but you're saying that these proposed standards would apply to all existing homes as well as new ones?

We have the building regulations here which stipulate certain standards for new builds and major renovations, but to try to impose changes onto existing homes is a step too far. Imagine being obliged to to re-wire sections of your home every time the Wiring Regs. were amended!

What would happen when people claim -- inevitably and truthfully -- that they simply don't have the money to bring their property up to the current specifications even if they wanted to?

Of course, as most of you know in my opinion the government already pokes its nose into our lives far too much as it is.

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Being the owner of a pre-1970's house
A very large proportion of houses in the U.K. are pre-1970s, and quite a number are pre 1870s! My own place, though rather different from the conventional British home, dates back to the 1930s, with some early 1970s additions.

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The WOF for a car was $10 in 1990
now it is $45.
In the U.K., we have a mandatory annual vehicle inspection for all cars over 3 years old, commonly referred to as the "MoT test" (Ministry of Transport). The test requirement was introduced way back in 1960, when the MoT at that time decided that there were too many dangerous old wrecks driving around. If you look back at the test requirements in the early days though, they were fairly rudimentary -- Just basic safety checks for tires, steering, brakes, suspension, lights working, etc.

Over the years though, so many things have been added to the test that it's getting silly, especially in the last few years. Now a car can fail for having a chipped windshield if the chip is in the "wrong" place, or for any one of dozens of other trivial little things. (And that's not to mention the stories about MoT inspectors picking on minor issues and missing rather more important problems such as severely corroded brake lines!)

At least the MoT has only had a couple of things applied retrospectively to older vehicles (requirement to add a windshield washer, for example).

If the principle of having to bring an old house up to the current specifications required for a new one were applied to the vehicle inspection, they'd be failing a 1975 car for having no rear fog lights, or failing a 1955 classic for having no seatbelts and ABS brakes. [Linked Image]

Oh, and with the creep of items added to the inspection, the fee has gone up and up..... Current standard price is now over £40, although garages are free to charge less if they wish.


[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 12-15-2006).]