Selling without completion certificate

anselld

Vicky123 wrote: »

It's not all illegal, the last bit wasn't inspected but I'm worried to have an inspection [cost] then find it doesn't meet regs as I can't afford any fixes. Removing would mean reducing 3 bed house down to 2 but how do you remove without further cost?

Those are exactly the reasons which will put most buyers off.

If it was inspected through the build it is extremely unlikely that anything major will be wrong. The final inspection, if the job was done properly, is usually a formality. You should get it done.

If there is something you know which causes you serious doubt about passing the inspection then you should not be trying to palm that off on some unsuspecting buyer.

Vicky123

anselld wrote: »

Those are exactly the reasons which will put most buyers off.

If it was inspected through the build it is extremely unlikely that anything major will be wrong. The final inspection, if the job was done properly, is usually a formality. You should get it done.

If there is something you know which causes you serious doubt about passing the inspection then you should not be trying to palm that off on some unsuspecting buyer.

I really don't know anything other than it's a fairly ugly extension for which I take no responsibility, my opinion wasn't considered, buyers will see that themselves though. I expect most people would want change it purely for aesthetic reasons but wouldn't have thought that would incur a price reduction the way final certificates would.

silvercar

Easiest way is to offer to pay for an indemnity policy to cover the lack of a completion certificate.

All really depends on how a surveyor would regard the extension. If he is satisfied that it is constructed properly, your buyer and their lender could well be happy with an indemnity policy.

Newly_retired

If I were considering buying the property and reached the stage where it was discovered that building regs were not signed off, I would walk away, but I would be furious that I had paid out various fees already.
You really cannot do that to potential buyers.
You need to sort it before marketing. If the inspector has been for a final check, what is the delay?

Vicky123

He hasn't been for the final check, but either way it isn't my intention to deceive buyers, the house requires a fair bit of work and will get knocked on the price as it is, just wondering how much more this is likely to cause.
I wouldn't dream of trying to sneak out or put people to any extra expense, the whole thing should have been done and finished at the time, but it wasn't my call.
The house is in a very desirable area, that's the main selling point, it isn't high spec the way most people like houses today, it's comfortable and suits my family's needs very well but the style screams "old".

rosie383

I agree with other posts. Get them out to do a final inspection and sign it off. I doubt if ugliness is very important to them. More likely they will ensure it is safe. Yes you may have some expense to get it done, but if you don't then you will lose many potential buyers. We are looking and would walk away so fast once we found out. And if it is someone who is a bit naive then they will probably end up walking away once they have spent out some initial money then find out through the conveyancing process that there is a problem. Which will mean that it is going to delay your sale by possibly months.

Btw, I do think you are asking for genuine advice here and you do want to do the right thing. Hope you don't get too many harsh words. Good luck with it all.

Vicky123

Yes, genuine enquiry, there isn't any money to pay for the final inspection, so just wanted to know where I stood.

rosie383

I know it's difficult. Trying to find that few hundred pounds which may make a difference of thousands to the selling price. I hope you can find it somehow because I think otherwise you will lose so much. Actually, why don't you get a couple of EA to value it and tell you what it would be worth both with and without the extension. Would that be helpful?

Hoploz

Would you need to pay for the final inspection? If you paid for the full application at the beginning they don't charge for each visit separately.

Did they give you a list of what would need doing when they last visited? You say you've done some of the final things recently so you must know what's outstanding.

You can get an indemnity when you sell, but ths will cost a few hundred pounds in any case.

And this is not always acceptable to the lender.

You say your house is ugly and this makes me think it could be hard to sell ... Lack of certificate puts another barrier up to people buying! Making things even harder.

Clearly there's no need to remove it, especially as the basics would have been signed off anyway. If you have gas or electric work certificates will be needed for these too of course.

I back up that if at all possible you really should get this sorted before you try to sell.

A word of warning though - if you have been in touch with the council within a year you won't be able to get an indemnity policy, that is a standard clause.

Thrugelmir

silvercar wrote: »

Easiest way is to offer to pay for an indemnity policy to cover the lack of a completion certificate.

Maybe the easiest option but isn't the answer.