Chimney breast removed in kitchen but still remains in room above

Tango5

The survey on the house I am in the process of buying highlighted that they chimney breast had been removed in the kitchen, on the ground floor, but remained in the room above. It suggested that I find out if there were buildings regs for this, to show that the chimney above was supported properly.

I have asked the estate agents to ask the vendor for the building regs but the surveyor said it'd be unlikely that they had them (and the current owner has only lived there a few years).

Presuming there are no building regs, how should I proceed? And what is the likelihood of this missing chimney breast causing a problem in the future?

tim123456789

I don't see why only having lived there a few years should mean that they don't have a building certificate for the work

Either they did the work and got the BC or they (should have) raised the same question with the previous vendors who will have done the work or raised the issue with their vendors etc etc.

This is something which is actually potentially dangerous if it was don't wrongly so having the right certificate is a no-brainer IMHO

I_know_my_ABC_and_my_CMYK

Be careful with this.

We bought a house with the same issue 30 years ago but didn't have a survey done as it was a loan from parents to buy the property.

Fortunately my brother is a builder and spotted it after we had completed and pulled the upstairs chimney breast out for us and bricked up what was needed. The house was bought and completed within 2 weeks and he was working away at the time so couldn't check the property for us. I would never buy again without a survey.

The ceiling in the room underneath was beginning to bow and we didn't notice, we were only 20years at the time. The ceiling actually came through as the breast was being removed, so if you buy don't leave it.

Tango5

So, would it be better to ask vendor to put problem right before exchange or to negotiate on price or to get a structural engineer to take a look?

G_M

How long ago was the breat removed? It might pre-date Building Regs.

If the work was done 40 years ago for example, no BRs would exist. But if it's lasted 40 years it is unlikely to fall down now!

If done 5 years ago, BR should have been obtained. You can get the vendor to provide an insurance indemnity policy, but this will protect against the risk of the council enforcing BRs (which they won't - why should they come knocking? Plus they only do this in the first year), but it will NOT protect against the chimney collapsing. Not will your insurance if there was no BRs.

The fact that the breast above is still there is irrelevant. The chimney above is heavy and needs supporting irrespective of the first floor chimney breast!

Forget the agent - do this as part of conveyancing. Are you using a solicitor or DIY?

theartfullodger

Had a house I did that to 25+ years ago. Where is it?

jimbog

This had been done to my old house too when I went to buy it - chimney breast removed from the kitchen and still there in the small back bedroom which came up in the survey. Had a builder come round and put a metal support under the breast under floorboards upstairs - no issues raised when I came to sell it (was prepared to lift carpet upstairs and the single floorboard if anyone wanted to peer in)

wymondham

We had this when looking at a terraced a few years ago. breast gone from downstairs yet remained upstairs. We had to get a builder to confirm an RSJ had been put in to support the stack. Absolute nightmare and would always avoid if possible!!!

yoyoegg

Presuming there are no building regs, how should I proceed?

Reduce your offer price by the ££ amount needed to install an RSJ/

G_M

yoyoegg wrote: »

Reduce your offer price by the ££ amount needed to install an RSJ/

Mad. There may well BE an RSJ.

If I was seller and knew it was there I'd tell you to take a hike!

gavinh1175

Check the council website to see if they have an on-line search facility for building control applications.

My local council's website has this facility.