Timescales for obtaining retrospective building regulations approvals

suebfg

If they just issue a certificate, then I'd be very worried! I spoke to the council earlier (without saying where the property is) and they've already advised me that over 90% of loft conversions are non compliant.

If the vendor is not prepared to do the work, then the sale will fall through but that's OK. I don't want the house at any cost.

I'm not sure we would wait 5 months either - depends on what else comes on the market in the meantime.

chappers

suebfg wrote: »

If they just issue a certificate, then I'd be very worried! I spoke to the council earlier (without saying where the property is) and they've already advised me that over 90% of loft conversions are non compliant.

If the vendor is not prepared to do the work, then the sale will fall through but that's OK. I don't want the house at any cost.

I'm not sure we would wait 5 months either - depends on what else comes on the market in the meantime.

They are very unlikely to do that and when they say 90% are non-compliant he will be meaning to current regs.

What Vegasbaby says above is what I was alluding to about determining when the works were carried out. They must have come up against a very awkward officer as, it has been my experience, especially in part inspected properties, that they will take the view that the rest of the works were also carried out at a similar time.
The lazy option is for the officer to not be bothered to find out the regulations in place at the time and to say that it must comply with the regs he is familiar with.

Just goes to show how cutting corners comes back to bite you.

suebfg

I spoke to the surveyor today and he has advised that we need a structural engineer to inspect the property too.

Can anyone advise if we would be likely to encounter problems reselling this house if (a) regularisation certificates were obtained and (b) we had a report from a structural engineer advising that works were sound.

bclark

If you get them regularised then you will have no problems, a structural engineers report would be pointless for resale purposes.

suebfg

I'm losing the will to live with this whole debacle. I've now had the vendors information pack and where it asks if there are any outstanding planning permissions/building regs approvals, they have stated there are none outstanding. Should I just walk away because they are blatant liars and I can't believe anything they say??? This is a modern house - it's not an old house from the days when regs didn't apply!!

Sorry I'm ranting now!

chappers

I would walk away, how old exactly is the house, do you have a rightmove link

suebfg

Hi, the house is 12 years old. best not to put up a link though on a public forum though.