Can't find record of NHBC

secondtoughest

Hello, I'm trying to buy a flat!

It as built late 2006/early 2007. My conveyancer got back to me today to say that NHBC, Zurich or 'the other one' (can't remember the name) haven't got the property registered with a 10 year building guarantee.

It was built by a small developer, a total of 14 flats and 2 shops. There was somebody in my flat before me with a mortgage from Bank of Scotland. My solictor is saying that my mortgage company won't lend without a guarantee. Can I assume that as someone has lived there before that there is a guarantee somewhere and it's just a case of tracking it down?

The developer is proving very elusive and the only phone number for the building they are registered to will not put me through (screams tax dodging, no?). The management company are also proving very evasive.

Any help/ideas?

poppysarah

Maybe in the days of lax lending they didn't care?

secondtoughest

Potentially 14 different mortgage companies for 14 different properties didn't care?

Worrying!!

MX5huggy

Does the seller not know? or is it a repo?

May have been signed off by the Architect try pulling the plans from the council to find the architect.

m_13

Our repossession purchase - we completed 30 minutes ago - has no NHBC as the builder went bust before they finished it. It's finished now but of cousre the people who finished it didn't start it so knew nothing about what had been done before.

Our Solicitor told us about an indemnity policy that can be bought once the property is four years old. However, yours isn't that old yet so no help for you!

Our property was converted in 2005 so we can't have the indemnity yet but we can once it hits the four years. There may be other indemnities available which are more suitable for your property. I'd ask your conveyancer. This one doesn't seem to have the four year exclusion but protects your mortgagee only for the ten years that the NHBC would have covered.

secondtoughest

Yeah it's repo. I've tried with the council, they said to request a 'completion certificate' from them. I have some details from my solicitor regarding the developers so will search for the architects name on there.

Plus I am paying my solicitor so she needs to do some work as well! I'm just a bit impatient..

m_13

Our completion certificate cost £27.50, it's for building regulations. Normally the council not supply it to anybody but the owner or leaseholder so our solicitor had to request it and state that we were buying from the mortgagee in possession. We also paid £27.50 for a copy of the planning permission and drawings so at least we have them.

We contacted various people in search of our NHBC or Zurich certificate but had had to accept now that there just isn't one. If you saw the pointing on our exposed brick walls you'd understand why!