Building regs for 1989 conversion??

Windsorcastle

My buyer's solicitor is like a dog with a bone, asking repeatedly whether I have building regs certification for when my house was originally converted from a large victorian building in 1989. I don't, nor was this even raised as an issue when I bought several years ago.

I have found the original NHBC certificates for the conversion - should that satisfy the solicitor? I really don't think it's the lender asking, it's just that he has got fixated on this issue!!

jimbog

Why is he 'asking repeatedly'? Was his queries not answered by your solicitor prior to this?

He/she sounds like a good solicitor

Windsorcastle

jimbog wrote: »

Why is he 'asking repeatedly'? Was his queries not answered by your solicitor prior to this?

He/she sounds like a good solicitor

Thanks Jimbog, the buyer's solicitor is appalling and mine isn't great TBH!! I have said sveral times that I don't have any building regs paperwork as the conversion was done long before I bought the property, but he just keeps asking the same question worded slightly differently.

He's also been told 3 times that I had a flat roof recovered whcih didn't need building regs, but has still come back yesterday to ask what type of tiles were used - on a flat roof!? I despair...

Windsorcastle

I've just contacted NHBC who say I need to contact the LA to see if they ever issued a building regs certificate. In know from this forum that I can't contact them or this will mean I can't take out an indemnity policy. However, I phoned and asked them in theory what I should do, without giving the address - they said I have to make a written enquiry with a £40 fee and then they will check and see whether they have anything on record. Sounds very risky to me in case they don't - would I just be better offering to pay for an indemnity policy?

bloolagoon

Windsorcastle wrote: »

I've just contacted NHBC who say I need to contact the LA to see if they ever issued a building regs certificate. In know from this forum that I can't contact them or this will mean I can't take out an indemnity policy. However, I phoned and asked them in theory what I should do, without giving the address - they said I have to make a written enquiry with a £40 fee and then they will check and see whether they have anything on record. Sounds very risky to me in case they don't - would I just be better offering to pay for an indemnity policy?

Have you checked online? The LA we are looking to move to has an online web access with all details registered online, free of charge. No document PDF's for older associations, but one house we looked at buying went back to 1980's for things like windows and it was all there.

Windsorcastle

bloolagoon wrote: »

Have you checked online? The LA we are looking to move to has an online web access with all details registered online, free of charge. No document PDF's for older associations, but one house we looked at buying went back to 1980's for things like windows and it was all there.

Thanks Bloolagoon, I had never heard of such a thing but I will check. I suspect the LA I'm dealing with won't have that though, as they are keen to charge £40 just to send an email confirming whether or not it was ever signed off. I'm now in a quandary because if I make the formal request to them and spend the £40, they might find they have no sign-off which means I can't get an indemnity policy OR they will send me an email and this pig-headed solicitor won't accept it. Just don't know what to do for the best...

Windsorcastle

Thanks to Bloolagoon, I have now found the council's online register for building control and it dates back to 1989, BUT there is no sign of my property on there. I am terrified now. Does this mean that it was never signed off or is it possible that the developer used an independent inspector to sign it off? Or is it always the LA who does this?

What on earth can I do now? The property has changed hands several times without this being an issue, as have the flats that were converted at the same time...

Any ideas anyone?

pmlindyloo

This drives me completely insane.

We are talking about a conversion done 24 years ago. Most councils don't keep records that far back.

We had exactly the same problem.

Stop wasting your time and worrying about it.

Offer an Indemnity Policy and be done with it.

Most mortgage lenders and solicitors have no idea about these kind of things (been there - got the T shirt) Ours didn't even know that if you contact the council you can't get an indemnity policy.

Just go for it!

Windsorcastle

pmlindyloo wrote: »

This drives me completely insane.

We are talking about a conversion done 24 years ago. Most councils don't keep records that far back.

We had exactly the same problem.

Stop wasting your time and worrying about it.

Offer an Indemnity Policy and be done with it.

Most mortgage lenders and solicitors have no idea about these kind of things (been there - got the T shirt) Ours didn't even know that if you contact the council you can't get an indemnity policy.

Just go for it!

Thankyou Lindyloo! I agree it's absolutely ridiculous. The solicitor will just not let it go! Do you know if I can arrange the indemnity insurance myself or do I have to arrange it through him? I am so angry with him now that I don't want him making a few quid out of it if I can help it!