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No Building Regs - Should we walk?
LittleDrum
Posts: 96 Forumite
As the title says really?
There have been a few alterations to the house i.e porch extension, knocked a load bearing wall down, conservatory etc..
We offered assuming that all the work was legal, however it turns out that there were no building regs sought after the work was completed. The current vendor has taken out an indemnity policy to cover this.
It wasnt the current vendor who did all the work and they have lived there since 2004 and have had no problems or so we are told.
We asked to reduce our offer but they rejected it saying that we got it already for a discount, 9k under the asking price!! (4% under the asking price, hardly a discount!).
All our requests have been rejected without a thought i.e for them to pay for a structural engineer to have a look, to move by a certain date, (seeing as we offered with the assumption that the vendor would have already vacated the house and wanted a quick sale, which he has but his wife who isnt on the title deeds still lives there:mad:) so that date was also rejected.
The Vendor is using a relocation company, who dont want to own the house so they will be exchanging with the vendor the day we exchange! So its all a bit complicated to say the least.
Our surveyer has said that the alterations look sound, but obviously thats his opinion and he wont sign a document saying this.
Its a lovely house but we dont want to face the same problems when we come to sell up in future.
Honest opinions, would you walk away or take the risk?
There have been a few alterations to the house i.e porch extension, knocked a load bearing wall down, conservatory etc..
We offered assuming that all the work was legal, however it turns out that there were no building regs sought after the work was completed. The current vendor has taken out an indemnity policy to cover this.
It wasnt the current vendor who did all the work and they have lived there since 2004 and have had no problems or so we are told.
We asked to reduce our offer but they rejected it saying that we got it already for a discount, 9k under the asking price!! (4% under the asking price, hardly a discount!).
All our requests have been rejected without a thought i.e for them to pay for a structural engineer to have a look, to move by a certain date, (seeing as we offered with the assumption that the vendor would have already vacated the house and wanted a quick sale, which he has but his wife who isnt on the title deeds still lives there:mad:) so that date was also rejected.
The Vendor is using a relocation company, who dont want to own the house so they will be exchanging with the vendor the day we exchange! So its all a bit complicated to say the least.
Our surveyer has said that the alterations look sound, but obviously thats his opinion and he wont sign a document saying this.
Its a lovely house but we dont want to face the same problems when we come to sell up in future.
Honest opinions, would you walk away or take the risk?
0
Comments
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Walk away unless these things have been done under permitted development.0
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Suggest you walk, it's not as if the market is booming and there is a lot of choice. If he doesnt play ball then with covering cost of survey more fool him as will no doubt come up again with next person as well.0
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Why such a big issue if your Surveyor thinks its Ok and the vendor has indemnity to cover planning regs??0
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Milliewilly wrote: »Why such a big issue if your Surveyor thinks its Ok and the vendor has indemnity to cover planning regs??
The Surveyor just thinking its OK is insufficient and is probably a chartered surveyor and not a structural surveyor and the policy may not cover the cost of subsidence damage if the property subsequently subsides through insufficient foundations etc.
I dont think its a small matter! and the OP is being quite sensible and prudent in asking the question.0 -
wodgerdodger wrote: »The Surveyor just thinking its OK is insufficient and is probably a chartered surveyor and not a structural surveyor and the policy may not cover the cost of subsidence damage if the property subsequently subsides through insufficient foundations etc.
I dont think its a small matter! and the OP is being quite sensible and prudent in asking the question.
The Surveyor should be competent to see if there are any current issues.
No structural surveyor will put his name against what may happen in the future unless they have overseen the extension works.The only way to check foundations is to start digging.
The indemnity policy covers planning / building control regs not subsidence this would be on the house insurance and would fall to the previous owner for the first 7 years anyway.
How long ago was the porch / conservatory etc built? There are more and more of these issues in todays 'sell an indemnity policy' market for alterations that could have been done quite properly 20 odd years ago.0 -
does your surveyor have xray vision?0
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Thanks for your opinions so far...
Anymore? We have to make a decision by tomorrow:eek:0 -
If in doubt, walk away.
If the vendors are intransigent, walk away.0 -
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littlejo26 wrote: »Really, why?
The OP was clearly unhappy paying the price currently agreed due to the new information.
The OP is clearly also unhappy about other aspects of the sale, has offered compromises and been turned down. If there's so much the OP is unhappy with, and the vendors are intransigent in their position...... that's why.0
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