Advice needed re Solicitors query.

loujay_2

Believe it or not... its only a 2 storey!!! ground floor and first floor. I cant believe the hassle we are getting. Wouldnt mind the mortgage our buyer is getting is only 20% of the house price.
Theres no doors top or bottom of the stairs and never has been but it was 'door city' around the bottom stair area, door to dining room, door to kitchen and door to living room and they were all removed prior to us buying the property.

loujay_2

Spoke to my solicitor today and found out exactly what is required. My buyers lender wants it in writing that the removed walls were not a firebreak and if they were then I have to put them back!!!:eek:
I told my sol that Im not prepared to re instate them without some guarantee that my buyer wont pull out or incase theres a problem elsewhere as I dont want these walls back. Im not worried of a future problem with them as next door sold without a problem and they have removed these walls and if the worse come to the worse then we will stay put, Ive had enough of this selling lark. Sol said that he would put it in the contract that in the event they have to be put back then it will only be done following exchange of contracts. Felt a bit better but it still doesnt solve the problem. Anybody know if these walls would be a firebreak? I know Ive got to ring the dreaded building control tomorrow but would sleep much better knowing everythings ok. Wishful thinking I know:sad:

Doozergirl

loujay, this is just silly. I can't believe it, really.

There is absolutely no need to do anything. The mortgage is paltry and the walls will have no effect on value anyway and a 20% mortgage is just a joke for the mortgage company to be making a deal. They will lend without the walls.

The answer to the question is 'not to my knowledge'. It is a matter of preference and if the buyer wants walls, they pay for walls. If there was no door, it couldn't possibly act as a firebreak.

My solicitor would really have told them where to go by now.

loujay_2

Oh Doozergirl thank you for replying, this is driving me insane.
I feel pushed in a corner as the letter from my buyers solicitor states the lender wants the answer in writing and my sol says by a professional bod and not your friendly builder who trades from the house down the road!! He also said as it is a legally binding contract we are going to sign re the house sale then we could be held liable god forbid a fire broke out and the blasted walls were a fire break. I know he has my best interests at heart but even I feel with no selling knowledge that this is all way over the top.
I know by ringing BC then I am opening a can of worms but as we are buying a repo with 3 weeks left to exchange I feel I cant afford to waste any time and just want to put all this behind me.
Do you think BC would back me up as I dont think 'not to my knowledge' will suffice, they want it in writing.:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
Thanks again

prudryden

Doozergirl wrote:

What on earth are they talking about? Is that a joke?

Bricks go into a fire to be made! Of course they're fire retardant.[/QUOTE
Brilliant!

Doozergirl

Building Control will be fine. You don't have to meet current regs and they've already said they met building regs at the time so if you can get that in writing, that should suffice.

I really don't know of any other professional who would be able to provide a definitive answer If Building Control can't help with written confirmation then they will point you in the right direction, I'm sure.

loujay_2

Thanks for all your help. I'll be on the phone in the morning.:T

hazeyj

loujay wrote:

Thanks for replying, buyer phoned me tonight and started with 'its nothing to worry about really' What!!!!!
She has also said if the walls have to go back up then thats ok which is a relief. She did say she'd contact the surveyor but after the comment about structural alteration that obviously wasnt, Im really dubious as to what he will say. He also wasnt interested when she rang him about the originally comment he'd made.
Should I ring building control? Who else could give us a letter? I dont want to lose the sale but as I said earlier it stinks as next doors sale sailed through without a problem.
Our problem is we are buying a repo with an exchange date in 3 weeks so feel I have to do the running around to try and keep everything moving.
Thanks everyone for your help.

I would ring building control again and get them to put something on paper re the buyers sols comments. It may just satisfy the pendantic solicitor.

loujay_2

Hi,
Thanks, rang BC on Friday morning, left a message on the answer machine but no one got back to me. Glad really as since been given the name of a builder who we are told is a member of the master builders federation or somethinglikse that so hopefully we can avoid the BC man and get a letter from him.
Thanks everyone

Doozergirl

I just hope you get it sorted soon. I'm sure you will, just need to ask enough people to write you a letter!

How's your purchase going? Did your solicitor get the draft contract yet?