Building Regulations Completion Certificate

Fairzo

Hi, just received the searches back in respect of a property purchase. Under 1.1 (f) there is a reference to a conditional plans approval in 1995. However the response to 1.1 (g) regarding Completion Certificate is "none".

Is the above situation unusual? How concerned should we be if there is no Completion Certificate for works 20 years ago? The survey has come back with very few issues although I appreciate that this can't check hidden parts of the structure.

Are there potentially implications for the mortgage offer?

Thanks for any advice.

pmlindyloo

This is very common.

Basically the chances of any enforcement by the council are slim.

What is more important is that your mortgage lenders might insist on your taking out an indemnity insurance policy.

And equally important is that the structure in question is safe - it is your responsibility to check this.

Please note that if you enquire about the completion certificate through the council you will not be able to get an indemnity policy.

In these cases it is worth asking the vendor to bear the cost of the indemnity insurance as it is in their best interest to get this in order to complete the sale.

Read Richard Webster's excellent post about this.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/699571

Fairzo

Thanks for that. I think I would be (slightly) less concerned if the apparent lack of Completion Certificate was for an extension etc, rather than in respect of the construction of the original dwelling.

pmlindyloo

Fairzo wrote: »

Thanks for that. I think I would be (slightly) less concerned if the apparent lack of Completion Certificate was for an extension etc, rather than in respect of the construction of the original dwelling.

Oh dear

Have you seen a copy of the conditional planning approval? What were the conditions? Have these been met?

According to this:

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/buildingregulations/howtogetapproval/howtogetapproval/bcpresiteapproval/fullplans

they will only issue a completion certificate if you ask for one.

Don't know what to advise here.

There could have been inspections and everything done by the rules and just didn't bother to get the completion certificate.

On the other hand they could have bodged the job.

It seems that you are in a catch 22 situation.

You/the vendors could approach the council and ask if there is a completion certificate but if there isn't then you cannot get indemnity insurance.

What are the vendors saying about it?

Put the ball back in their court - ( your solicitor should be doing this.) Can they get a retrospective completion certificate? Expensive and intrusive.

Have you had a full structural survey to make sure everything is safe?

What you do depends on how much you want the place. Many would walk away. If you intend to sell in the future then this will all resurface again. Make sure the vendors know this - if they are not prepared to rectify this and you decide to pull out, they will have the same problems with any future prospective buyers.

Good luck!

Fairzo

Thanks for the good luck message! We have only just received the searches back so the vendors will not be aware yet. Presumably this should have arisen when they purchased the property in 2005 although at that time it may have been within the NHBC warranty period (if a certificate exists). We have had a full Buildings Survey which has revealed very little of concern but then again it is non - intrusive.

Hadn't realised that a Completion Certificate had to be requested.

Thanks for your comments, much appreciated.

pmlindyloo

Fairzo wrote: »

Thanks for the good luck message! We have only just received the searches back so the vendors will not be aware yet. Presumably this should have arisen when they purchased the property in 2005 although at that time it may have been within the NHBC warranty period (if a certificate exists). We have had a full Buildings Survey which has revealed very little of concern but then again it is non - intrusive.

Hadn't realised that a Completion Certificate had to be requested.

Thanks for your comments, much appreciated.

Mmmmm, am now wondering whether it is the house builders that should have the certificate. Thought it was your vendors that built the house.

Think you need to clarify with your solicitors about which regulations certificate is missing.

Fairzo

Back again on this one. I'm naturally risk averse but wondering if I'm over-reacting to the absence of a completion certificate. This is still between solicitors as far as I'm aware but presumably if the property had been early 1980s or so we would just be relying on the survey anyway?

Full Buildings Survey came back with little of note to report. I've also spoken to the surveyor who considered that the property was not a "bodge job" and that any fundamental issues with the original construction should be revealing themselves by now.

Also had a builder look at the issues raised on the survey.

Thoughts please? Am I being mindnumbingly overcautious or sensibly pragmatic?

Thrugelmir

Fairzo wrote: »

Full Buildings Survey came back with little of note to report. I've also spoken to the surveyor who considered that the property was not a "bodge job" and that any fundamental issues with the original construction should be revealing themselves by now.

Given the time that has elapsed most likely a far assessment.

thestens

We had a similar problem with our house. In the end we insisted that the vendors got the work done checked by the building inspector who then issued a letter saying that things done were satisfactory. He wouldn't sign the work off as a rail had not been fitted on the balcony, but said he would when that was done. We were buying it knowing that needed doing by us, so that was Ok. We will get it done soon, when we can decide exactly what we want! We had a full structural survey and nothing untoward came up but we didn't want to go down the indemnity route, as if something wasn't done right, that wouldn't help. By the inspector saying it was satisfactory we felt reassured, and now we have the letter to use when we sell the house and should also have it all signed off.

Fairzo

thestens wrote: »

We had a similar problem with our house. In the end we insisted that the vendors got the work done checked by the building inspector who then issued a letter saying that things done were satisfactory. He wouldn't sign the work off as a rail had not been fitted on the balcony, but said he would when that was done. We were buying it knowing that needed doing by us, so that was Ok. We will get it done soon, when we can decide exactly what we want! We had a full structural survey and nothing untoward came up but we didn't want to go down the indemnity route, as if something wasn't done right, that wouldn't help. By the inspector saying it was satisfactory we felt reassured, and now we have the letter to use when we sell the house and should also have it all signed off.

This would be the ideal scenario but how old was the house? I don't anticipate being able to get a successful inspection carried out on a property built in 1995/6.

Fairzo

Well, just to bring this to a slightly surprising conclusion.....

After a number of weeks of anguish and trying to get a resolution via the vendors solicitor it turns out that the Building Regulations information referred to on the Search related to a different property. The property we are hoping to buy was in fact built five years earlier and there are no longer any Building Control details held by the Local Authority.

*sigh*