Selling in Ontario this winter: should you agree when the buyer wants the furnace and AC serviced before closing?
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A licensed HVAC service with an invoice before closing costs relatively little and keeps buyers calm. Wording that says fix everything is a blank cheque.
- 01Nobody wants a dead furnace in week one
- 02Inspectors often recommend a service
- 03Ontario and TSSA advise a yearly check
Attic mould handled by a pro and the water heater repaired. Redoing the insulation and the foundation crack stayed off the list.
A furnace and AC service fits exactly: one service call, one invoice the buyer understands.
Maintenance usually sits with the rental company, and the contract usually transfers on closing. Spell it out, and ask your lawyer if unsure.
- 01Ask: service, repairs or replacement?
- 02Write the scope; use a TSSA-registered contractor
- 03Ask the tech about running the AC
- 04Negotiate anything found separately
- 05Book early, before the December cold snap
- 06Test the carbon monoxide alarms
Send Yifei how the buyer worded it. He will tell you straight what he would do.
Ask YifeiIn most cases, yes. Having a licensed HVAC technician service and check the furnace and air conditioner, then handing the buyer the invoice before closing, costs relatively little and keeps the deal moving. The thing to watch isn't the service call itself; it's wording that makes you fix whatever turns up, or replace equipment, with no cap. And in winter, ask the technician first whether the AC can safely be run at all.
Why buyers ask for it
In winter, heat is the buyer's biggest worry. Closing in December or January and losing the furnace the first week, at minus fifteen, is nobody's idea of moving in. Home inspectors often write "furnace is older, recommend servicing by a qualified technician," and the buyer's agent turns that line into a clause. The Ontario government and TSSA already recommend having fuel-burning appliances checked by a professional every year before the cold sets in.
When I buy, I use small items like these to negotiate price too. So my advice to sellers is simple: if a small cost puts the buyer at ease, spend it, rather than leave it on the table as a reason to chip at your price.
Which request is it?
Also check whether the furnace or water heater is a rental. Plenty of Ontario homes rent them; maintenance usually sits with the rental company, and the contract usually transfers to the buyer on closing, depending on its terms. Spell that out in the agreement, and have your lawyer look if you're unsure.
What Yifei has run into
On one sale, the buyer sent an amendment in the evening asking the seller to fix four things before closing: redo the attic insulation, have the attic mould professionally removed with a report, have a foundation company repair an exterior crack, and repair the hot water system with proof. They also wanted an earlier closing date.
I went through it line by line with the seller. My starting position was to deal with the attic mould only and leave the insulation and the exterior crack alone. We agreed to have the attic mould professionally handled, with the invoice sent before closing, and to have the water heater repaired before closing. The insulation and the exterior crack stayed off the list.
My standard for pre-sale repairs is one line: fix it the simplest, cheapest way that won't get in the way of the sale. A furnace and AC service fits that exactly: one service call, one invoice the buyer understands.
Before you sign
- Clarify whether the buyer wants a service, repairs, or replacement.
- Put the scope in the amendment: which equipment, who does it, and when the invoice goes to the buyer. Under Ontario law, furnaces and other fuel-fired appliances must be maintained by a TSSA-registered contractor; you can check the registration on the TSSA website.
- Ask the tech about running the AC in the cold, and reword if needed.
- Negotiate anything the tech finds separately: seller repairs, a capped amount, or a credit.
- Book early. HVAC techs get busy fast once a December cold snap hits.
- Test the carbon monoxide alarms while you're at it. If the home has a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage, Ontario requires a CO alarm next to each sleeping area, and the buyer will look at the final walkthrough.
Frequently asked questions
Could the buyer walk if I say no?
They might. Winter buyers are fewer and usually serious, and losing one over the cost of a service call rarely makes sense. If you'd rather not, offer a small credit and let the buyer book their own tech.
Who books the technician?
Usually the seller books and pays, and sends the invoice before closing. If the buyer wants their own tech, write in who pays and when they can get in.
Want to talk through your own sale?
Tell me about your situation and I'll tell you straight what I'd do. Yifei (RE/MAX), efay.ai.
Sources
- TSSA (fuel appliances must be maintained by registered contractors; annual servicing recommended): https://www.tssa.org/tssas-fraud-prevention-month-warning-verify-legitimacy-all-fuels-professionals
- Government of Ontario, carbon monoxide safety: https://www.ontario.ca/page/carbon-monoxide-safety