Barn conversion & CML requirements

Bumba63

Hi, I hope someone can help me as I am trying to buy a converted barn and coming up against differing opinions from both my solicitor and the vendor's solicitor on the necessary guarantee/certification.

From everything I have read ( and from what my solicitor says) the vendor of the barn should be able to provide a CML Professional Consultants Certificate otherwise any lender would consider the property unmortgageable.

The vendor ( and his solicitor) are saying that since the property was partly used previously as an office the CML certicification is not required.

Does anyone know if this is true. Why would a change of use from office to residential be exempt? The conversion of the barn took place over many years and was finally completed in 2012.

Grateful for any help as unsure how to progress with this.

kingstreet

Assuming you need a mortgage, your solicitor has to comply with your lender's requirements on this. I suggest you establish what these requirements are and find out if the vendor has them.

Bumba63

Thank you King street for your reply.

We are buying without a mortgage but our solicitor is saying that any future purchaser needing a mortgage would have problems securing it against this property as it has no building certification/warranties.

The vendor is saying the barn has been occupied previously ( as office space) so the CML requirements are different I believe, although I don't have any details as to why. It sounds like a "get out" on the part of the vendor.

Very unsure if I should progress with it or drop out!