Urgent help as mortgage appointment is tomorrow no building regs..

topcat007

Hi all,

I have my mortgage interview tomorrow but only just been told this information by the conveyancer.

There has been a conversion to a utility room which has no building regs..

I am really not sure what to do now!

I was going to get homebuyers report at £550 a full structural would cost me £1000 would this be worthwhile in this case?

Also i have been advised there is a indemnity insurance for lack of building regulations to protect me against loss suffered resulting from future reproach bu the council. The work was done over 7 years ago is this worth the paper it is written on?

Can i even request the seller gets the work approved first?

Any help much appreciated.

Thank you

Hoploz

The lender will need paperwork on this, either certificate or indemnity.

Only the certificate would confirm it has been properly converted. If you settle for indemnity you need to satisfy yourself the work was done properly.

What sort of building is it? Converted garage? Extension? Bear in mind with a surveyor, they can only see the same as you, they cannot tell what structure is behind plastered walls etc.

topcat007

Hoploz wrote: »

The lender will need paperwork on this, either certificate or indemnity.

Only the certificate would confirm it has been properly converted. If you settle for indemnity you need to satisfy yourself the work was done properly.

What sort of building is it? Converted garage? Extension? Bear in mind with a surveyor, they can only see the same as you, they cannot tell what structure is behind plastered walls etc.

Thank you for your help :beer:

Can i request the seller gets this or would that be a outlandish request? Or can they even check now it has been done as it gets checked in stages from my understanding?

The work is a conversion of a room to a utility area

Doozergirl

I'm a bit confused as to why a 'room' can't be converted to a 'utility room' without regs?

Regs would only cover putting in an extractor fan (hardly the crime of the century) or if you were digging a new drain outside for it.

Can you describe further?

Richard_Webster

A utility area is a room isn't it?

So there would appear not to be any new construction - only minor issues concnerning plumbing and electrics, surely?

Ring up another Council's Buildin Reg Dept and ask them as ahypothetical case if converting a room to a utility room needs to complhy with the Buildding Regs.

Don't talk to the acztual Council's Buildiing Control people as if you tell the property address then you won't be able to get an indmenity policy

topcat007

Doozergirl wrote: »

I'm a bit confused as to why a 'room' can't be converted to a 'utility room' without regs?

Regs would only cover putting in an extractor fan (hardly the crime of the century) or if you were digging a new drain outside for it.

Can you describe further?

Sorry i did not explain very well.

It was a outside coal house /toilet which has now been knocked through and made into a shower room + utility room. Also the doors have all been changed about.

I have done a diagram of what i think has changed hopefully it will help:

Doozergirl

Okay, well, in theory yes it should have building regs but it's not the most valuable of spaces. I doubt it adds to the house value much.

It would be nice to know if it has actually been done properly or whether it might present itself as a bit of a project for you

In terms of safety, it's not going to present much of a hazard. I'd be fine with the indemnity policy in place, as long as I knew what I was getting from a building perspective. Is it still single skinbrickwork, for example, in which case it will be a chilly shower, prone to condensation. As a utility room, with a decent door in between, it could almost still be considered an outbuilding. It hardly matters if it is insulated from a comfort of living point of view.

topcat007

Doozergirl wrote: »

Okay, well, in theory yes it should have building regs but it's not the most valuable of spaces. I doubt it adds to the house value much.

It would be nice to know if it has actually been done properly or whether it might present itself as a bit of a project for you

In terms of safety, it's not going to present much of a hazard. I'd be fine with the indemnity policy in place, as long as I knew what I was getting from a building perspective. Is it still single skinbrickwork, for example, in which case it will be a chilly shower, prone to condensation. As a utility room, with a decent door in between, it could almost still be considered an outbuilding. It hardly matters if it is insulated from a comfort of living point of view.

Thanks very much!

From when i looked every looked okay but i am not a professional.

i think it is single brick so as you say a bit nippy!

Is the indemnity policy a one off payment and i assume the seller can pay this if i play my cards that way?

I am guessing a "full" structural is not going to find anything different either to "home" report in this respect of this building?

Thanks

Doozergirl

People have their opinions about surveyors but I personally think that most people will get their money back on a full structural, through re-negotiation on the inevitable issues that crop up.

It's often cheaper if you hire your own surveyor, rather than choose through the mortgage company. And they offer more flexibility.

PasturesNew

I'd also wonder if the hole knocked through was knocked through the end/structural wall ... and if they did the right thing there.

topcat007

Doozergirl wrote: »

People have their opinions about surveyors but I personally think that most people will get their money back on a full structural, through re-negotiation on the inevitable issues that crop up.

It's often cheaper if you hire your own surveyor, rather than choose through the mortgage company. And they offer more flexibility.

Thanks very much i will give this some further consideration then.

One last question if i may , does no building regs affect the buildings insurance? For hypothetically if something collapsed and the insurance company discovered there was no regulations would they not pay up? not finding much on goolge for this