Loft has no building regs. How do we proceed?

GrumpyDil

If it helps my experience of a vaguely similar situation related to building regs is that the lender really won't be overly concerned due to the tine since it was done.

Your solicitor is definitely making a mountain out of a molehill.

BLC1983

That's good to hear Grumpy. It would be a shame if it all fell through over this.

But fingers crossed everything will be ok! The loft conversion Was done 37 years ago so I'm sure it's not going to fall through the floor now surely! And hopefully the lenders will see that too.

ciderboy2009

Is this actually a solicitor or one of those cheap conveyancing firms? I suspect the latter as they normally haven't got a clue when something unusual happens.

You don't need an indemnity policy - all that the conveyancer has to do is report to the mortgage company that the loft conversion was carried out prior to 1984 so Building Regs aren't appropriate.

BLC1983

It is a conveyancing firm. Premier property lawyers. We only went with them because the estate agent just said they will be putting me in touch with them. And as we are first-time buyers I didn't think to even question it I will definately choose an independent solicitor next time if we do this again in the future.

Surrey_EA

BLC1983 wrote: »

Premier property lawyers.

Ah!

That explains rather a lot!

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1849083/anyone-used-premier-property-lawyers

BLC1983

Is it likely that it will be a problem selling a property like this in the future?

I'm just a little worried that when we come to sell we might have this same issue even with the indemnity policy? Kicking the can down the road sorta thing?

davidmcn

BLC1983 wrote: »

Is it likely that it will be a problem selling a property like this in the future?

I'm just a little worried that when we come to sell we might have this same issue even with the indemnity policy? Kicking the can down the road sorta thing?

In the future it will be even more historic and less important. At most you might need to "top-up" the indemnity policy to cover any increase in the property value.

BLC1983

Thanks David,
I did read that if the council are alerted to the fact that the property has no building regs then it invalidates the indemnity insurance.

A few weeks ago when all this was going on I did call the council in that area and asked them the general question about regularisation (before we knew the work was done in 1983). I didn't give them the address of the property just my first name and told them the situation with the loft and they said they wouldn't ever come out to give regularisation to works done that long ago. But is this alerting the council even though I didn't give the property address?

Doozergirl

BLC1983 wrote: »

Thanks David,
I did read that if the council are alerted to the fact that the property has no building regs then it invalidates the indemnity insurance.

A few weeks ago when all this was going on I did call the council in that area and asked them the general question about regularisation (before we knew the work was done in 1983). I didn't give them the address of the property just my first name and told them the situation with the loft and they said they wouldn't ever come out to give regularisation to works done that long ago. But is this alerting the council even though I didn't give the property address?

No. (10 characters)

BLC1983

Oh good thanks doozergirl.

This is our first ever property so I'm being overly cautious as you can probably tell! However I am a worrier anyway so that really doesn't help. I also suffer from anxiety too and this whole house buying thing has really set it off I never knew it was so stressful!