Estate Agents

Verb

Hi
I'm a some advise on estate agents.


Are estate agents simply and solely there to take photos of the house and put it on right move etc...


Or is there an expectation that they understand what conforms to building regs and advise what documentation will be required at the point of sale to allow the seller to be in the best possible position when asked for anything?

Cliveman_Pieman

Closer to the former than the latter. Their main responsibility is to get it sold.

Verb

The reason for asking is.
It appears that a loft conversion was done without planning permission so the structural integrity is undetermined. Even if we where able to get this checked out by a structural engineer / surveyor. The stair case that goes into the converted loft is from one of the bedrooms and thus doesn't meet building regs. The stair case should be into a hall / landing so there is safe egress should there be a problem.


During the past week the estate agents where pushing for me to just get a builder in and pushed hard saying "I'm sure it was done correctly". Upon further advise the issue with not conforming to the regs and a lack of planning permission came to light.

Surrey_EA

Verb wrote: »

Hi
I'm a some advise on estate agents.


Are estate agents simply and solely there to take photos of the house and put it on right move etc...


Or is there an expectation that they understand what conforms to building regs and advise what documentation will be required at the point of sale to allow the seller to be in the best possible position when asked for anything?

Like so many things in life, there is a huge spread between the good and the bad, the experienced and the inexperienced.

A good EA with a bit of knowledge should be able to spot when there is doubt about whether an alteration complies with the necessary regulations, and the good sense to raise the issue with the vendor to supply documentation prior to marketing.

Not all loft conversions will require planning permission, but all loft conversions will have needed to comply with building regulations when they were carried out.

Building regulations change, and cannot be applied retrospectively. Do you know when the loft conversion was carried out?

Verb

About 10 or so years ago it was carried out.


The information that we have received was from the local authority buildings and planning's department. His biggest no no was that the stair case into the loft is from a bedroom.

Surrey_EA

It seems almost certain that the conversion does not comply with regs, and as such cannot be described by the EA as habitable accommodation.

Did the marketing material from the EA refer to the loft conversion as a bedroom, or other habitable space?

Verb

Surrey_EA wrote: »

It seems almost certain that the conversion does not comply with regs, and as such cannot be described by the EA as habitable accommodation.

Did the marketing material from the EA refer to the loft conversion as a bedroom, or other habitable space?

BEDROOM 3 8’ 6″ × 7′ 10" (2.59m x 2.39m) measured overall PVCu double glazed window, staircase to loft room, coved ceilings, radiator

LOFT ROOM 15’ 4″ × 10′ 4" (4.67m x 3.15m) Double glazed Velux roof light, wood effect flooring, storage units into the eaves, radiator

Surrey_EA

Calling it loft room, and not bedroom 4, suggests the EA either knew or suspected no building regulations completions certificate existed for the work.

glasgowdan

Have you already made an offer on it?

Davesnave

It's not a bedroom and can't be sold as one.

Since houses are generally valued inm terms of usable reception rooms/ bedrooms, there must be an impact on the value.

Is the price of the house generally in line with 3 bed houses of that type?

If so, well and good, but if it seems pricey, someone is probably over-valuing this as an 'asset' and you'd be justified in trying to negotiate the price down.....or walking away.