Building regs missing for internal walls

StuartR50

We are currently in the process of buying a house, It's a 3 bed semi from the 1960s. the vendors bought the house a year ago and are upsizing. The previous owners removed the walls between kitchen and diner and living room in 2011 it looks like there is steel rsj's where both were removed but there's no building regulations sign off

our vendors bought the house after getting an indemnity policy from the previous owners but our solicitor doesn't think this is enough after we asked our surveyor who said we need to ensure there is a suitable rsj and get the work regularised. It's now been referred to our lenders but we are unsure what will happen next and what the various outcomes could be?

Anyone got any experience of similar situations? We are keen to go ahead as don't want to lose out buyer but want to make sure we are not inheriting the problem

Hoploz

Chances are the lender will accept the indemnity.

Your solicitor has a duty to warn you the house could fall down. But as long as the lender is happy it's up to you whether you go ahead or walk away. Your surveyor may have spotted signs if there were cracks etc. I'd be very surprised if the seller would agree to regularisation, esp as they didn't do the work.

davidmcn

Sellers will be reluctant to go for regularisation - as soon as they contact the council, their indemnity is ineffective. You can check the RSJs etc without contacting the council.

Mocha61

It would be adviseable for your own peace of mind and your safety to get it checked. Recent work in my daughters house by a so called builder proved to be extremely dangerous, he had put incorrect rsj size in and didn't support others at all. Council took him to court for breach of building regulations.

StuartR50

Thanks for the replies, survey came back fine saying no cracking or structural movement.

Would a structural engineer be the avenue to get the rsj's checked?

eddddy

StuartR50 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies, survey came back fine saying no cracking or structural movement.

Would a structural engineer be the avenue to get the rsj's checked?

If there are no signs of cracking or deflection - there won't be much that structural engineer can tell you...

... unless the plaster is hacked off and the size/thickness of the RSJ is measured, and to examine the support points (at each end).

Most vendors wouldn't allow sizeable areas of plaster to be removed from their walls/ceiling.

(Not only would the areas need re-plastering, but realistically the whole room would then need to be redecorated.)