Vendor claiming work was done prior to their purchase (photos suggest it wasn't)

Yellow_mango

The cert should have been found in the searches, you didn't just buy blind did you?

Oh yes we found it on the online search. Along with some other stuff they denied knowledge of but was in fact adequately carried out and documented during their ownership.

Speculating, there was only one vendor, but it clearly had been a family house. It could be that there had been eg a separation or death and she hadn’t been fully aware of the works carried out. Or she just wanted done with it and couldn’t be bothered.

KatieDee

Well the boiler is relatively new in the property and that was installed by a Corgi registered person, along with certificates. This is reassuring. Still none the wiser regarding the garage conversion though.

I'm considering arranging another viewing to both measure up (they're taking the curtain poles apparently) and ask her for clarification. I think I'll feel better about the whole thing if I see the house again. Do you think this is reasonable?

fezster

If you plan on doing additional work (with planning / building regs) to the conversion, then you will bring it up to current standards. It's been there for a very long time and is past any enforcement action from the council (assuming it's not a conservation area or listed building and no restrictive covenants - things you should check).

The vendor is being quite silly - they are opening themselves up to litigation by lying on the SPIF, with very little to gain. Given the time which has passed, they should just provide you with an indemnity policy.

The main thing you need to do with any purchase is satisfy yourself of the condition of the property - get additional surveys and reports done by specialists, if you have any doubts, rather than relying solely on the general survey done on the property.

KatieDee

fezster wrote: »

If you plan on doing additional work (with planning / building regs) to the conversion, then you will bring it up to current standards. It's been there for a very long time and is past any enforcement action from the council (assuming it's not a conservation area or listed building and no restrictive covenants - things you should check).

The vendor is being quite silly - they are opening themselves up to litigation by lying on the SPIF, with very little to gain. Given the time which has passed, they should just provide you with an indemnity policy.

The main thing you need to do with any purchase is satisfy yourself of the condition of the property - get additional surveys and reports done by specialists, if you have any doubts, rather than relying solely on the general survey done on the property.

Thank you very much for your reply.

I don't really mind about lack of planning permission/building regs, as you can see from viewing the property that it has been done properly. The other properties nearby who have done similar work have all had pitched roofs, which definitely needs planning permission, so might explain why they're all on the portal but ours isn't. Our plan once purchased is to add a pitched roof to improve kerb appeal, and I know we'd need to do this properly, so it might not be a problem going forward.

My concern is that they may have lied on the form and if this is the case, why are they lying and what else could they be lying about? If course, my only reason for doubting them is the date in Googlemaps, which isn't really that reliable!

I'll wait to hear back from our surveyor (who is fantastic and completely independent) and see what he has to say. I do think I'll need to see the house again though, as I'm a nervous little soul and now I'm starting to panic!

davidmcn

KatieDee wrote: »

what else could they be lying about?

Any vendor could lie about anything. Of course they'll be tempted to give you reassuring answers - they want to sell the property!

I wouldn't place too much faith in these answers, all they give you is a potential right to sue them after the event - which brings you into the realms of the economics of pursuing legal action, what evidence you actually have, and whether you can even track down the vendors by the time you realise they were fibbing.

KatieDee

davidmcn wrote: »

Any vendor could lie about anything. Of course they'll be tempted to give you reassuring answers - they want to sell the property!

I wouldn't place too much faith in these answers, all they give you is a potential right to sue them after the event - which brings you into the realms of the economics of pursuing legal action, what evidence you actually have, and whether you can even track down the vendors by the time you realise they were fibbing.

Very true.

I suppose I should focus on the fact that nothing negative came back with the Homebuyers. There are always going to be hidden issues with a property and you're right, if they think they can get away with not disclosing something then that makes sense.

When I was much younger, I bought a property with a huge attic conversion with absolutely no building regs or planning permission, where the stairs were open and straight onto the landing. Never gave it a second thought :rotfl:

I really wish I could just calm down about the whole process.

fezster

KatieDee wrote: »

my only reason for doubting them is the date in Googlemaps, which isn't really that reliable!

I've always found the date on Google Maps to be very accurate.

Rosieandjim

A friend of mine had her garage converted to a play room. However she did not need planning as it has a 'floating floor' ( I think that is the correct term) which is permitted so that when she moves it can be put back to a garage. Could this be why no planning approval?

KatieDee

Rosieandjim wrote: »

A friend of mine had her garage converted to a play room. However she did not need planning as it has a 'floating floor' ( I think that is the correct term) which is permitted so that when she moves it can be put back to a garage. Could this be why no planning approval?

Thank you Rosieandjim, this is a really good point

The lack of planning permission/building regs doesn't concern me too much, I'd just like to clear up the uncertainty around whether the vendors did the conversion or not.

t0rt0ise

Have a nice chat with the neighbours and bring the conversation round to the garage conversion.