Problems Buying a Renovated Period House

trailingspouse

I'm not sure what the problem is here. I've just finished a 3 year renovation of a period property, including a new kitchen and two new bathrooms, full re-wire and removal of asbestos. I would be able to provide paperwork for the re-wire and the asbestos removal, but the other stuff? No, not really. But you would be able to see for yourself that the work had been done because, well, there's a new kitchen and two new bathrooms.

Is the property listed? Do you have reason to believe the work has been done badly (eg survey report)?

kinger101

The problem for me is there is a 5hit load of notifiable work in there, and they're not laying their cards face up on the table. I'd walk away very soon if satisfactory responses were not forthcoming.

Alter_ego

Bear in mind that the ONLY certificate a vendor must legally provide is an energy performance certificate.

sparklejay

Thanks to everyone so far for their input, it's interesting to see the different perspectives. Just to let you know we haven't received any documentation aside from minor bits and bobs and have been advised by our surveyor to get copies for him to look over before proceeding. At this stage we can't tell visually if some of the major works have been carried out and nor could our surveyor. Time will tell! The way we see it is that we wouldn't buy a car without a full service history, so can't see the difficulty in providing a copy of the receipts/invoices, let alone the warranties and certs that have already been promised verbally. Considering the renovations are only two years old, if it was me I'd have everything ready for resale, but that's just me!

Rambosmum

You keep saying warranties and certificates, but haven't specified what warranties and certificates.

For example:

If they say it has had a rewire, I'd want an electrical safety certificate.

If they say it has been re-roofed, I'd want building regs approval.

If there's a new boiler, I'd want an installation certificate.

If there are new windows, I'd want a FENSA certificate.

Where as with decorative things,

If they say there's a new kitchen, I want to be able to see with my own eyes that the kitchen is new.

If they say there's a new bathroom, similarly, if I can't see from looking I'd walk away.

Asking for receipts for things like kitchens and bathrooms and carpets is ludicrous- you either like what's there or you don't. you don't get warranties on new kitchen's that YOU haven't paid for.

kinger101

Rambosmum wrote: »

You keep saying warranties and certificates, but haven't specified what warranties and certificates.

For example:

If they say it has had a rewire, I'd want an electrical safety certificate.

If they say it has been re-roofed, I'd want building regs approval.

If there's a new boiler, I'd want an installation certificate.

If there are new windows, I'd want a FENSA certificate.

Where as with decorative things,

If they say there's a new kitchen, I want to be able to see with my own eyes that the kitchen is new.

If they say there's a new bathroom, similarly, if I can't see from looking I'd walk away.

Asking for receipts for things like kitchens and bathrooms and carpets is ludicrous- you either like what's there or you don't. you don't get warranties on new kitchen's that YOU haven't paid for.

You're right, but the new kitchen and bathroom themselves are likely to require building regs for the electrics. I've seen numpty jobs with sockets above sinks.

Rambosmum

kinger101 wrote: »

You're right, but the new kitchen and bathroom themselves are likely to require building regs for the electrics. I've seen numpty jobs with sockets above sinks.

They don't. We've just renovated our house before sale. New kitchens and bathrooms are exempt from BR unless they've been moved from their original locations. Even if you get new sockets in, as they are covered by an electrical installation certificate.

sparklejay

Rambosmum wrote: »

You keep saying warranties and certificates, but haven't specified what warranties and certificates.

For example:

If they say it has had a rewire, I'd want an electrical safety certificate.

If they say it has been re-roofed, I'd want building regs approval.

If there's a new boiler, I'd want an installation certificate.

If there are new windows, I'd want a FENSA certificate.

Where as with decorative things,

If they say there's a new kitchen, I want to be able to see with my own eyes that the kitchen is new.

If they say there's a new bathroom, similarly, if I can't see from looking I'd walk away.

Asking for receipts for things like kitchens and bathrooms and carpets is ludicrous- you either like what's there or you don't. you don't get warranties on new kitchen's that YOU haven't paid for.

I think you misunderstand, sorry for any confusion. We are not after anything relating to a visual inspection, like the fitted kitchen, bathroom, decorative state etc as that is what we can see ourselves. So yes I completely agree with what you have said above. We don't have any of the paperwork you have mentioned for the major renovations, hence our problem. By major renovations I mean; new roof, new chimney, electrical re-wire, new central heating system, plumbing, boiler & radiators, damp proofing as well as new windows. Aside from the lack of paperwork, we have no evidence that the hidden work has been completed, nor by whom.

Rambosmum

sparklejay wrote: »

I think you misunderstand, sorry for any confusion. We are not after anything relating to a visual inspection, like the fitted kitchen, bathroom, decorative state etc as that is what we can see ourselves. So yes I completely agree with what you have said above. We don't have any of the paperwork you have mentioned for the major renovations, hence our problem. By major renovations I mean; new roof, new chimney, electrical re-wire, new central heating system, plumbing, boiler & radiators, damp proofing as well as new windows. Aside from the lack of paperwork, we have no evidence that the hidden work has been completed, nor by whom.

Then yes, I'd write to my solicitor, and the estate agent clearly setting out what I wanted to see, giving a date by which I wanted it (say 2 weeks) and say if it isn't produced that we will be withdrawing from the sale. Keep it short and a bullet pointed list.

The alternative is that you get your own inspectors in to check the work, but obviously that will cost you.

Rambosmum

In your letter you could give an alternative - that the vendor pays for inspection if they can't produce the documents.