Buying a house with 'illegal' double glazing?

readytofly

Hi all
Back story: We're 4 months into our first house purchase! The chain is still not complete and we have 12 weeks until our mortgage offer expires. We have had fairly normal searches back.
Today I received an email today informing me our seller installed double glazed windows and doors privately in 2006, with no installation certificates and without proper approval. Our solicitor does not seem too impressed and has said 'we ought to think carefully' on this matter. She asked the other solicitor if the vendors are prepared to pay for an indemnity insurance policy. Also he still has not sent me the gas safety approval certificate after asking three times, and he says he used the britsh gas annual service
Please help! Is this a big problem for us if we proceed?

Tia

Browntoa

well it is an issue if a conservation area and not "in keeping" as you will have to reinstate

british gas annual service has a sign off sheet by the engineer that they should be able to produce

princeofpounds

Is this a big problem for us if we proceed?

The problem with the windows is largely due to building regs, and to a certain extend structural integrity. What you don't want to do is buy a house where some numpty has installed windows without having a lintel, leading to the wall collapsing.

Just replacing the glass and inner isn't really a big deal, in reality, apart from paperwork.

If they work hasn't been done too recently, then the indemnity should cost peanuts. Ask your surveyor to have a look too.

As for gas safety... it's a bit weird if he has had it serviced not to send in through. But plenty of homeowners do not get annual GSCs, as long as the installation is correctly documented and the boiler isn't too old it might be a risk I'd be happy to live with (with a carbon monoxide alarm and the understanding I might have to pay for a test/repair at some stage).

silvercar

You could phone British Gas and tell them you want to take over the existing service contract. They should check that there is one in place.

I don't really know what you mean by a gas safety approval certificate, usually that applies to rental properties only. Do you mean in installation certificate? One way round the lack of one would be for the vendor to arrange for a GSC to be issued. That should tell you if everything is safe. Then the lack of installation certificate could be covered by an indemnity policy.

As for the windows, they were installed in 2006 and haven't fallen out yet! Do they look in reasonable condition? Again an indemnity policy will cover the lack of certificate. Not a big deal in my opinion, provided you check that any floor level windows have safety glass.

Push for the vendor to pay for indemnity policies as they need to sell and will have these issues with whoever buys.

TBagpuss

Gas safety - this would not put me off - lots of people do not get their boilers serviced regularly and pay not have requested / kept a certificate even if it was done. If you are concerned you could ask that they allow access to arrange for your own inspection so that you know whether there are any immediate problems, or get that done once you move in.

With regard to the windows, I would expect that if there were any major issues such as a lack of proper lintels that, 8 years after installation, there would be some indication of the problem which your survey and/or your own visual inspection should have picked up,. An indemnity policy should not be expensive, the sellers should pay for this.

As Browntoa says, you might have more concerns if the house is listed or in a conservation area but if not, don't be too worried. Worst case is that you may end up paying for an indemnity policy if the sellers get awkward, and that isn't expensive (ranging between £30 - £70, in my experience)

readytofly

Thanks- naturally the email out me in a bit of a panic. What happens should we need to replace of repair one of the windows or doors? We don't know who fitted the windows. Also if the local authority found out for whatever reason (or if we want to apply for planning permission for something else) we will be served a notice.
If it's causing me worry, how will other buyers think in the future? We're thinking we will be here for 5-6 years.

princeofpounds

What happens should we need to replace of repair one of the windows or doors? We don't know who fitted the windows.

Then you ask a proper installer to come in, and they will do it to their standards (which hopefully will match building regs).

Also if the local authority found out for whatever reason (or if we want to apply for planning permission for something else) we will be served a notice.

That is what the indemnity policy is for. It pays for those costs. In practice it almost never happens.

jonnyb1978

To what extent have the windows been put in illegally. Double glazed units should be installed by approved FENSA installer but in all honesty it's just a made up scheme anyone can pay to be FENSA approved.
If this is just the case you can building control to sign.them off.
If more serious then an indemnity insurance is the best bet.

readytofly

Solicitor says if local authority finds out the insurance will be invalid?

harrys_dad

readytofly wrote: »

Solicitor says if local authority finds out the insurance will be invalid?

I think your solicitor is scaremongering. Get an indemnity policy. What does your surveyor say about the quality of the installation? Is the house in a conservation area?

pinkshoes

I'm selling my house and have an "illegal" window and door! Nothing wrong with them, they replaced wooden rotten things, we just didn't know anything about this FENSA rubbish so didn't ask for a certificate, and the guy who installed them no longer trades.

Our solicitor just told us to offer indemnity insurance should the buyer be bothered.