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Just bought house with a low arch that hid an unsecured lintel do I have any recourse

245

Comments

  • G_M
    G_M Posts: 51,977 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Stuart788 wrote: »
    The seller was asked directly about the extension and if there was any problems with it. They said that apart from the lack of building control.....
    and this did not ring alarm bells......?
  • kinger101
    kinger101 Posts: 6,639 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Stuart788 wrote: »
    The seller was asked directly about the extension and if there was any problems with it. They said that apart from the lack of building control and planning permission it was in structurally in great shape.

    You got off lightly then with it only costing £1,500. I'd have bottled it at this point.
    "Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance" - Confucius
  • AnotherJoe
    AnotherJoe Posts: 19,622 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fifth Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic
    kinger101 wrote: »
    What extension?

    What makes you think the vendors would be able to offer an expert opinion of the structural integrity of this?

    Exactly. I sold a car two years ago part-ex, on a form there was a box that said something like "I warrant this car is in good mechanical condition" and wanting a signature from me and i wrote "I am not a mechanic, so I am not competent to warrant the mechanical condition"
  • Stuart788
    Stuart788 Posts: 915 Forumite
    kinger101 wrote: »
    You got off lightly then with it only costing £1,500. I'd have bottled it at this point.

    It was built over fifteen years ago and solicitors in Northern Ireland agree not to expect other solicitors to have paperwork from their vendors for building work done over fifteen years ago.
  • ST1991
    ST1991 Posts: 515 Forumite
    Fourth Anniversary 100 Posts
    Perhaps the seller was not aware? Unlikely you would get an extension done without supporting a Lintel on purpose...!
  • kinger101
    kinger101 Posts: 6,639 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Stuart788 wrote: »
    It was built over fifteen years ago and solicitors in Northern Ireland agree not to expect other solicitors to have paperwork from their vendors for building work done over fifteen years ago.

    Perhaps, but I'd still bottle it for precisely the reason you've encountered. It would take quite an invasive survey to have found out about the defect, which a vendor is unlikely to let you do. Paperwork not existing doesn't make things alright as you've found out.
    "Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance" - Confucius
  • Stuart788
    Stuart788 Posts: 915 Forumite
    Oh well at least for a grand and a half I've opened the downstairs up a bit allowing more light and potentially avoiding a massive problem in the future.
  • AnotherJoe
    AnotherJoe Posts: 19,622 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fifth Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic
    Stuart788 wrote: »
    Oh well at least for a grand and a half I've opened the downstairs up a bit allowing more light and potentially avoiding a massive problem in the future.

    Yes, but had you not done it, you might have been able to go to the upstairs bedrooms without the faff of using the stairs :eek:
  • stator
    stator Posts: 7,441 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    If there were no real signs of a problem then your surveyor can't really be blamed. Only the builder (if you can call him that) who did the original work can be blamed.
    I agree with everyone else, write it off as an unlucky experience. If there are any other joists/lintels in the house, might wanna get them checked :)
    Changing the world, one sarcastic comment at a time.
  • anselld
    anselld Posts: 8,684 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    What about the other arch (into the kitchen area)?
This discussion has been closed.
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