Problem buying our first home... Advice needed.

abillybob94

Hello All

So me and the girlfriend are first time buyers and have found a beautiful barn conversion that we fell in love with as soon as we viewed it. We put in an offer around 4 weeks ago and after a week of waiting the seller got back to us and accepted our offer.

Now we're obviously new to the whole process of buying a home so some things just aren't making sense to us. We have recently got a Mortgage advisor who we have met and arranged a mortgage application with Nationwide fixed term for 5 years.

We have also instructed a solicitor who has put in for the information from the sellers solicitors and done searches on the property. Though the last week has worried us as our solicitor has been saying he's having problems getting the correct documentation and deeds to the house from the sellers solicitors. I asked him to be a bit more specific and this is what he's sent me:
Dear abillybob94,

The problem with the paperwork has been that the majority of the title deeds were not originally sent through. Also, when a development of this nature is sold off it is normal that new rights and obligations are granted to the new owners of the properties dealing with such things as rights of access to the property, rights to use services connected to the property, boundary responsibilities etc. The paperwork relating to this is missing.

I will send a full report on the searches when received.

Kind regards,

Solicitor/Director

Is this something myself and my girlfriend should be concerned about or is this sometimes normal and easy to sort? I'm a bit confused really what is going on and what is wrong.

If anyone could shed some light and some opinions on the matter I'd be most appreciative.

Thankyou :beer:

AdrianC

Sounds like this is a barn that's been freshly converted, and not yet registered as a property in its own right with the LR. In effect, a new-build.

Because of that, there's various bits of paperwork that need to be all lined up, which for a previously registered property would already be firmly recorded at LR and, for an unregistered older property, would be part of the deeds package.

But, because this is being split off as a new property for the first time, it all needs defining. It's nothing to be scared of, but it might add a little time.

societys_child

As above, perfectly normal.

anotheruser

As above. Perfectly not needed.

abillybob94

Thank you all - I wasn't expecting such fast responses

So the good thing then is it's quite a straight forward problem to sort out. I'm presuming our solicitor will know what to do to get these problems resolved and will crack on and do them or should I be pointing this out to him?

I was told that the property has Retrospective insurance courtesy of a company called CRL. This means that the property was insured after the completion of the build and covers the property for 10 years for any structural problems would this cause us any issues in getting a Mortgage for it as the conversion wasn't monitored throughout the build?

Also there was something mentioned about the fact the property doesn't have a 'Completion Certificate' although I'm not 100% sure on this or what it means would this cause us any problems!?

Sorry for all the questions it's just all very new to us :rotfl:

Thanks again guys!

abillybob94

Bumpty bump :A

AdrianC

abillybob94 wrote: »

So the good thing then is it's quite a straight forward problem to sort out. I'm presuming our solicitor will know what to do to get these problems resolved and will crack on and do them or should I be pointing this out to him?

He's on it.

I was told that the property has Retrospective insurance courtesy of a company called CRL. This means that the property was insured after the completion of the build and covers the property for 10 years for any structural problems would this cause us any issues in getting a Mortgage for it as the conversion wasn't monitored throughout the build?

You'll be fine.

Also there was something mentioned about the fact the property doesn't have a 'Completion Certificate' although I'm not 100% sure on this or what it means would this cause us any problems!?

Building Regs sign-off? That might affect the 10yr warranty - and it's something you really should have. Have the council's BR people been involved in the build all the way through? Is it just a case of getting the final sign-off? Or has their involvement been skimped through the build? If so, why?

That's definitely one to look into in a bit more detail.

abillybob94

AdrianC wrote: »

Building Regs sign-off? That might affect the 10yr warranty - and it's something you really should have. Have the council's BR people been involved in the build all the way through? Is it just a case of getting the final sign-off? Or has their involvement been skimped through the build? If so, why?

That's definitely one to look into in a bit more detail.

Thank you, you've been a huge help. I spoke to a chap who offered the CRL Insurance on the property what they require when giving an insurance policy to a property and he has listed the following:

Hi abillybob94,

I hope your well, as discussed for us to issue a Structural Defect Insurance policy against a property we must or will have had the below:

- Local Authority / Private Building Control Certificate

- Energy Performance Certificates

- Electrical Certificates

- Gas Safety Certificates

- Approved/As Built Drawings

- Engineers/Ground Survey or Report

- Third Party Warranties/Certificate (Tanking, Roofing etc.)

Is the "Building Control" certificate the same as a Building regulations completion certificate? If so then surely the property does have this and the Estate Agents are talking rubbish by saying it doesn't?

elverson

Yes it's the same one.

AdrianC

abillybob94 wrote: »

Is the "Building Control" certificate the same as a Building regulations completion certificate? If so then surely the property does have this and the Estate Agents are talking rubbish by saying it doesn't?

Ignore the EA. Your solicitor is the one to confirm the existence of it. If it hasn't been provided, he can query with the LA whether one was issued or, if not, why not.

abillybob94

Just had the Building Regulation Certificate sent to me personally via the estate agents so I think we are ok now... phew! Thanks all for your help