Requesting NHBC Certificate

Natbag

We are trying to exchange and complete by the end of this week, which would have been fine except it turns out we are being held up by having to wait for a new copy of the NHBC certificate on the property we are buying.
The vendor's solicitor has ordered it, I'm told, but I have no idea if these are sent by email or by post, and also how long these can take to be issued/received.
Anyone any ideas/experience please?

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Update: Called the NHBC myself, due to lack of progress or information from either solicitor. It usually takes 10 days by post. However, if the current property owner calls their helpline in person, they will send it by email within a couple of hours. So I've just asked the EA to ask them to kindly do this. Hopefully this will be a lot quicker!

davidmcn

They should be able to confirm pretty much instantly whether or not it's covered (is there any doubt?), but a copy of the certificate took about three weeks last time I got one.

chappers

yep all you really need to establish is that there is a warranty on the property, you shouldn't physically need the cert.

Lucky_Duck_2

I obtained a replacement* certificate by contacting the NHBC directly, they sent one by email a couple of days later.

* The original had been archived by my solicitor who was dealing with the purchase of the property from the builders, despite the notes on the certificate telling them to do the exact opposite.

Natbag

Thanks all, that's really helpful.
I thought we could proceed without the actual physical copy for now, but my solicitor says not as it's a condition of the mortgage, I'm not so sure. It is still covered, it has about 2 years left to run, but I think the previous owner lost the original.

Realopinion

Have they confirmed it is covered under NHBC? There are a few insurers for new builds, NHBC is one and another is Zurich. Both you can contact direct and get a copy of the certificate.

Sometimes buyers solicitors put the onus of getting the certificate on the seller however it is quicker if the buyer's solicitor gets it and agrees for the cost to be handled as an allowance.

Natbag

Thank you Realopinion. I have seen documents referring to the NHBC so I presume it's them. It came back as one of our enquiries, so our vendor's solicitor is handling it. I have asked if we can proceed in the meantime in the knowledge that it is covered, and with the certificate on order, but I get the feeling nothing is happening today, again. Will do some investigating.