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Height of ceiling above staircase- advice needed please!
smicer07
Posts: 78 Forumite
Hi there
We are in the process of buying a 3 story house in Chester. We've agreed a price, but on 2nd viewing we went with a friend who is a builder. He noticed that the height of the staircase leading down from the 3rd to 2nd floors is a good 10 inches less than the required 2 metres as per building regulations. I noticed this on first viewing as I'm 6ft1 but thought nothing much of it. We asked the current owners who stated that they had no documents or certificates relating to the work done on the 3rd floor (2 bedrooms made into 1) which appears to have lessened the height of the staircase, and when they bought the house 3 years ago, their mortgage company did not bring it up at all.
We are now obviously concerned- because of the health and safety aspect- but mainly because if we want to sell or rent it out in 5/10 years time, this may put the buyers off (as it is with us right now!).
Does anyone have any advice?
Many thanks
Simon.
We are in the process of buying a 3 story house in Chester. We've agreed a price, but on 2nd viewing we went with a friend who is a builder. He noticed that the height of the staircase leading down from the 3rd to 2nd floors is a good 10 inches less than the required 2 metres as per building regulations. I noticed this on first viewing as I'm 6ft1 but thought nothing much of it. We asked the current owners who stated that they had no documents or certificates relating to the work done on the 3rd floor (2 bedrooms made into 1) which appears to have lessened the height of the staircase, and when they bought the house 3 years ago, their mortgage company did not bring it up at all.
We are now obviously concerned- because of the health and safety aspect- but mainly because if we want to sell or rent it out in 5/10 years time, this may put the buyers off (as it is with us right now!).
Does anyone have any advice?
Many thanks
Simon.
0
Comments
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It depends when the work was done and what the building regs were at that time.
What's the health and safety issue?0 -
The health and safety issue is if I bash my head every time I come down the stairs- or any guests do! The work must have been completed between 2008 and 2010.0
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The health and safety issue is if I bash my head every time I come down the stairs- or any guests do! The work must have been completed between 2008 and 2010.
Just duck! There are several places in my house I have to duck as it has low beams. I've bashed my head a few times at first but soon learned my lesson! Lol
I believe you can get an indemnity policy which will cover you should you be ordered to make it comply with building regs. As long as the work is done to high standard I personally wouldn't be fussed about it.0 -
Catch 22 though really, we don't know if it's been done to a high standard because we won't have the certificate to prove it! Thanks for the advice though!0
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You banging your head is a common sense issue not health and safety :-PI am a Mortgage AdviserYou should note that this site doesn't check my status as a mortgage adviser, so you need to take my word for it. This signature is here as I follow MSE's Mortgage Adviser Code of Conduct. Any posts on here are for information and discussion purposes only and shouldn't be seen as financial advice.0
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Never buy an old house then!They deem him their worst enemy who tells them the truth. -- Plato0
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For XXX sake!
Ifyou like the house, buy it. Then just make sure you
a) look where you are goingin your own house
b) don't get too drunk too often (good advice whatever house you buy)
c) tell your visiters to mind their headsor put up a sign (20p from ebay)
Worried the council might enforce Building Regs? No chance- not after 12 months has passed.0 -
If its on Benton Drive or Newry Park, it's too expensive.0
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No, it's on Liverpool Road!0
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Was it built as three storeys, or is it a loft conversion?
Jx2024 wins: *must start comping again!*0
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