Wall removed with no building regulations

emma_spaghetti

Hi

We are in the process of buying our first house, and have since been told, prior to signing the contract, that the seller does not have any building regulations for taking out the partial wall between the kitchen and dining room. Our solicitor is investigating into whether we can get some indemnity insurance to cover us.

Can anyone please advise on the situation? I am in the process of trying to find out whether the wall is a load-bearing wall, but am unsure where we turn from here, and whether it could cause us major problems further down the line e.g. when we choose to re-sell.

I read somewhere that if the Council are aware of the wall removal that indemnity insurance will not cover us; is someone able to help!

Thanks

Yorkie1

Indemnity insurance protects you against the costs of the council enforcing the regulations - i.e. investigating what's been done and putting in the correct strengthening beams if necessary.

It does not protect you against the cost etc if structural damage occurs as a result of failure to strengthen the wall.

Yes, you are correct that if the council have been put on notice about the wall (e.g. by an enquiry) then an indemnity policy will not have any force.

How did you find out - did your surveyor tell you? Your surveyor should have been able to advise whether the wall was load-bearing.

Do you know how long ago the wall was knocked out?

What has the seller said about how they ensured the structural safety of the wall - did they instruct an architect etc?

emma_spaghetti

Hi, thanks for your response. It was pointed out that the wall had been removed and we have been chasing the solicitors for a copy of the regulation. They have now come back and said the seller has no copy of the building regulation. I will re check the report to find out whether it was load bearing but I don't know when it was removed. If it not load-bearing, where do we stand in terms of not having any building regulations for it? I have asked the solicitor to find out how the seller ensured stability by ensuring the wall.

bigchrissyg

We done the same in our house. Took out the wall but it's not load bearing. Only load bearing needs regs I think. Depends how long it's not been there. Just check for big cracks or signs of bowing.

Either way a lintle or rsj should be in place.

Thrugelmir

emma_spaghetti wrote: »

Our solicitor is investigating into whether we can get some indemnity insurance to cover us.

Determine whether rectification work is required first. As the seller should pay for this if it is.

Fire_Fox

emma_spaghetti wrote: »

Hi, thanks for your response. It was pointed out that the wall had been removed and we have been chasing the solicitors for a copy of the regulation. They have now come back and said the seller has no copy of the building regulation. I will re check the report to find out whether it was load bearing but I don't know when it was removed. If it not load-bearing, where do we stand in terms of not having any building regulations for it? I have asked the solicitor to find out how the seller ensured stability by ensuring the wall.

"Have since been told ... it was pointed out" by whom - the vendor, estate agent, your surveyor?

theGrinch

if you can get access and permission to lift some floorboards directly over where the removed wall was then you can a) check how the joists are running and b) although more tricky now the wall is gone, was anything likely to be supported by the removed wall - I say this is tricky as there may have been something directly over the wall but not supported albeit millimetres between them.

You may need to enlist the services of a structural engineer.

emma_spaghetti

Yorkie1 wrote: »

How did you find out - did your surveyor tell you? Your surveyor should have been able to advise whether the wall was load-bearing.

Do you know how long ago the wall was knocked out?

What has the seller said about how they ensured the structural safety of the wall - did they instruct an architect etc?

Hi

It was raised in our Homebuyer's Report, and I have been chasing the documentation ever since. The solicitors have finally come back to confirm that there is no such paperwork.

I will give them a call to find out tomorrow how long ago the wall was knocked out - will this make a difference? I have also asked the solicitor to find out how they ensured the structural safety of the wall... I hope to have more news tomorrow....

emma_spaghetti

Fire_Fox wrote: »

"Have since been told ... it was pointed out" by whom - the vendor, estate agent, your surveyor?

It was included on the Homebuyer's Report, and he solicitor has been chasing this up.

jbainbridge

Ring / contact your surveyor. We have spoken to them both times we've bought now ... they've always been happy to talk things through. Don't forget you're paying them.

bclark

We removed a wall a couple of years back and got building regs, although to be fair when I say we got it I mean we notified the council and wrote them a cheque.

That's all it is in these circumstances, you merely tell the council what you did, they don't come and look or check the work. As such if it's the standard of the work you are worried about then them having building regs would make no difference at all to that. It's just a rubber stamp really.