No Building Regulation Certificate on initial build

Rosiejk94

Hello,

I am days off completion buying my first house.
I have been informed that the seller and their solicitor 'can't find' the Building Regulation Certificate - this is for the initial build of the house (about 12 years ago)
They have the planning permission.

My solicitors have told me that the lender would not accept lack of building regulations indemnity policy.
Therefore they would have to get Retrospective Building Regulation Consent.

I am unsure as to whether to proceed with the purchase as I could imagine getting the retrospective consent on a full house would take a tong time. I am not even sure if they would agree to do it as the identical house next door sold at auction and they could think that as an easier option.

Any advise would be appreciated!

lwhiteman88

Have you tried contacting your Local Authority Building Control to see if they have any records of the application. Even though it was quite a while ago they should have some record of it.

Rosiejk94

i have been informed that it didn't come up on the local searches with the council...

AnotherJoe

Completion or exchange?
Was this a small scale build?

Rosiejk94

Sorry exchange.
it was a build of two 3 story 3 bedroom houses

lwhiteman88

Rosiejk94 wrote: »

i have been informed that it didn't come up on the local searches with the council...

I would call the LA up. It may just not be on their online system. As its a really old application it may be in their archive. If they do not still have any record then it is unlikely that an application was submitted.

Rosiejk94

Would they release this information to me or would i have to ask my solicitor to call?

lwhiteman88

Rosiejk94 wrote: »

Would they release this information to me or would i have to ask my solicitor to call?

Its public information so yes they should. Just explain your reason for calling and they should be happy to help. Should only take them a couple of minutes.

I would try and find what address the planning application was submitted under because if it is a new build it may not have had the same postal address as it has now.

Rosiejk94

I will give that a try, thank you!
i was also considering it may have been put under the other house.

Imelda

You could also try NHBC to see if they issued the BRegs

Rosiejk94

I have been looking on the internet and all of the documents and conversations the council hold regarding the development are put on the original house... the two new dwellings were built on the land of the 3rd house.
I am going to find out if there is a possibility the building regulations certificate are under that house.

Obviously the local searches to find this info with the council would have been looked up under this house number and not the original