Buying a house with extension - no completion cert

[pilsbury]

Just had a call from a friend (really.... not one of those "a friend of mine would like to know" questions!) who is currently purchasing a house. The house had an extension 2 years ago but the solicitor has highlighted no completion certificate.

It is a small single storey extension out the back for a utility and toilet - clearly permitted development. I suggested to him that being so new, BC should have been involved. I also told him there were likely 2 scenarios. Firstly a builder did it and did not get the final check/sign off. Or the homeowner did it himself never involving BC.

The solicitor seems to know bugger all and suggested the usual useless indemnity....

Ideas for me to put forward to him appreciated.

 

[Doggit]

Check with the council, and see if there was a bulding control application put in for it. Whatever was done, it will need regularising to become legal. The solicitor should have asked the relevant questions as to what building work has been done, so was it the solicitors fault, or the sellers not being honest. It may well necessitate a reduction in the price if it's not as legal as it should be, and may not be up to standard.

 

[motorbiking]

ask the sol - to ask the other side to provide more information as to the circumstances of the extension. Submission, notifications, etc with BC. They may get their client to provide a statement of what they have done and haven't done. Its not uncommon for people to be in this situation, a fact made worse imo by the way BC tend to only communicate with the builder and not the home owner during the process. A clear conflict of interest so obvious to anyone with a brain isn't properly managed.

 

[michaelscad]

sanothe examp-le of the chaotic p d's what reasons did
the council/bc have for not giving completion cert.