Help and Info required

[Brunny1]

Hi all We are currently planning to buy a 5 bed chalet bungalow which we have since found out had the loft converted back in 1992 to include 2 bedrooms and a shower room. Our solicitor has asked if they had planning and building regs done at the time but the vendor solicitors were not very forthcoming. It is now been 3 weeks since the initial enquiry to find out they didn't and the vendors solicitor advised that as the loft conversion was 20 years old planning and building regs would not be enforced. Our solicitor has said otherwise and that there could be a small risk that the building regs could still be enforced. The problem I have is the property needs a lot of updating including cavity wall insulation, knocking a wall down and installing a wood burner and a few other things that I know are going to involve planning and building regs and I am a little concerned that if they do a site visit once the initial application went in they would spot this and bring it up. Also our solicitor advised that an indemnity would be rendered void once they come in. I am little annoyed by the vendors solicitor as I feel she has led us up the garden path and thought we would go ahead with the purchase and we are being pressured in completing by the 18th December . Does anyone have any experience of this or if anyone can advise? Any help would be be much appreciated

 

[Diane2]

I know nothing about building regs, you may want to ask for this thread to be moved to the right forum...

But as a buyer....dont be pressured by the vendor to exchange or complete...this is a buyers market, take your time and find out everything you need to know, make the vendor wait, you could also knock the price down to cover the possible cost of getting the correct certificates etc......good luck.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Ohh FFS it was 20 years ago, far too long for any enforcement from Planning or Building Regs to take place unless there is a danger to someone ie a structural problem. But 20 years on if any movement would have occurred it will have ceased by now. Building control do not have it in their powers to make you regularise old work even if you employ them to certify new works. Your solicitor is just using the 1 in a million argument. Just buy it.

BTW an indemnity policy does not cover the costs of any works required on site to put things right just the fees to fight the LA should you it come to that, which it won't. They're just a pointless insurance policy not worth the paper they're written on though sometimes your mortgage company will insist on one.

Ignore Diane2's daft comments about getting it regularised it was 20 yeas ago FFS!

 

[b3taman]

Did the current vendors have the work done, or was it a previous owner? Someone more knowledgeable than me may offer a different opinion, but I think if the work was done 20 years ago then you only need to concern yourself with making sure the alterations you are planning now are approved.
I understand that building regs approval for work done 20 years ago would be unenforceable now unless there was clear evidence that the property was structurally unsound.
If you really like the property then the lack of BR approval in the past may give you a good lever to renegotiate the price now.
Good luck.

 

[tony1851]

My sister's just bought a house built in 1865. The vendor has no planning or building regs papers for it
We're very worried! What should she do?!! Could the council pull it down?!!!