House Insurance - Date house built ?

Tabatha_Kitten

Im looking to move my house insurance and unsure what date to give for when my house was built.
It used to be a barn. From local reasearch I beleive it was built around the same time as the main farmhouse - 1650.
The bank have my deeds, but I have seen my immediate (attached) neighbours deeds and all her records go back to 1850 when the barns were converted into houses.
My survey says: When was the house built ? Ans: Around 150 yrs ago - this ties in with 1850 as on the deeds.
Reason Im asking the question is that the insurance company dont want to quote if the house was built before 1750

huckster

You just need to provide information that is correct to the best of your knowledge. If you have a survey stating the house is 150 years old and the deeds show this, then I cannot see a problem.

huckster

Not really Selden.

The OP has the surveyors report and as it is an experts report, they are fully entitled to believe its contents are correct. Perhaps when the house was built it was done from scratch including new foundations.

I think what you are telling the OP is OTT. You are telling them that the surveyor might be wrong and they should enquire about a potentially more expensive Buildings Insurance product that may be totally unecessary.

The OP is entitled to go by the age in the surveyors report which is a also shown on the deeds. The Buildings Insurers that the OP had choosen would not be able to duck dealing with a claim, because the OP had provided them with the information they had. As long as they Insure the property for the correct reinstatement cost, which may be in the surveyors report, then I cannot see an issue.

Normally Selden you give very good advice, but on this one, whilst I can where you are coming from, I disagree.

Tabatha_Kitten

Thank you for your replies.
The only thing I have to hand in writing is the survey.
I havent actually seen my deeds, I briefly saw my neighbours which go back to 1850 when the house was first habited.
We were told it was beleived to date back to 1650.
I dont know what was done structurally to the house when it was converted.

Tabatha_Kitten

Ive just dug out the survey. Its a RICS Homebuyer Survey & Valuation and it says:
Type & Age
A two storey end terraced house with a single storey rear extension. The original house was constructed approximately 150 yrs ago, with the extension constructed some 25 yrs ago.

I have also found my mortgage valuation report which says:
approx year built: 1850

My neighbour had a pack returned to her when she paid off her mortgage. In the pack were deeds & other legal looking documents and lists of owners back to 1850. Its a few years since I saw this but I remember something in there about it being a barn which was converted into houses for the farm workers. The farm was built in 1650. Halfway up my stairs there is an arch way plastered over. I know a bloke who used to live here when he was a boy. He said the arch was the enterance to a chicken loft. Aparently there were pigs below & chickens above because the heat from the pigs rises !

Basically all I have is assumption (and village gossip!). The only thing in writing as far as I am aware is what Ive quoted above.

huckster

Unless you have evidence of a date earlier than 1850, I would go with 1850.

You could discuss this with your Buildings Insurers for peace of mind. If they note that the surveys you have had show 1850, then if you needed to claim, they will see this.