removal of partition wall

off_the_wall

My survey pointed out that the partition wall between front and rear reception rooms was presumably removed at some stage, and said to check whether there was Buildings Regulations approval.

The Property Information Form, filled in by the vendors, said no to a general question about whether various kinds of work, including removing walls, had been done while they own the property. They've been there about 12 years.

The LA search has no records of pertinent Building Regulations approvals since 1990. Is that when BR was brought in?

So it appears that either it's been like that for 30+ years, and didn't need approval in the first place; or it's been like that for 12-30 years, and should have had approval but doesn't have it. Would you be shrugging at this point?

davidmcn

off_the_wall wrote: »

So it appears that either it's been like that for 30+ years, and didn't need approval in the first place; or it's been like that for 12-30 years, and should have had approval but doesn't have it.

Or it was done more recently and your vendors are telling fibs (or didn't understand the question).

Any guesses from your surveyor about how long ago it was done? Or clues from e.g. age of decor? Presume your surveyor didn't raise any concerns about the structural integrity of it?

off_the_wall

My general impression is that little has been done to the house in those 12 years, so I'm inclined to believe the vendors.

The surveyor didn't venture a guess about when it was done. Nor raise concerns about its structural integrity.

AlexMac

To reply-

off_the_wall wrote: »

... Would you be shrugging at this point?

No. (unless if by "shrugging" you mean "not bovvering"? In which case Yes)

I bought a house in 1975 (£10k if you ask).

Same issue; the wall between the front parlour and the sitting room (it was a Victorian house), had been removed.

Nobody even mentioned Building Regs... in fact, did they exist in the mid 20th century?

Never cracked, never moved. We moved on 10 years later.

I looked it up on Zoopla recently; much blinged up, but still the same though lounge. So presumably nothing had changed (except the price; now an eye-watering sum close to £1million!)

I bought a house in 2011.

Same issue; the wall between the dining room and the sitting room (it was a 1986 house), had been removed...

...prior to the then owner buying it ten years earlier.

All he had done in 2001 (presumably in the absence of BRs) was to commission a survey.

Never cracked, never moved in the 10 years 2001-2011.

So we just bought it

Still ain't cracked, nor moved in the 10 years 2011-2019.

Probably won't till they carry me out in a box.

So ask yesself;

- do you like the house?

- has it cracked or moved?

- and do you feel lucky?

(I generally do, ever since 1975, and eight or ten houses later, have never had a problem...)

off_the_wall

AlexMac wrote: »

unless if by "shrugging" you mean "not bovvering"?

Yes, that is what I meant

Give a gift horse a thorough mouth inspection. And then figure it will be fine so long as I have a big enough toothbrush.

off_the_wall

Update ...

The vendors say that the previous seller was supposed to have provided them with an indemnity policy in relation to this, but they can't locate a copy of it.

I'm interpreting that as implying that the work was wrongly done without BR approval (and the policy was to cover council enforcement action).

But it's been there for 12+ years with no problem, so I guess I won't worry about it. Is that reasonable?

AdrianC

off_the_wall wrote: »

The vendors say that the previous seller was supposed to have provided them with an indemnity policy in relation to this, but they can't locate a copy of it.

I'm interpreting that as implying that the work was wrongly done without BR approval (and the policy was to cover council enforcement action).

Or that somebody just had a little wobble, and their sol sold them an overpriced and useless hug.

But it's been there for 12+ years with no problem, so I guess I won't worry about it. Is that reasonable?

Bob on. LA can't do anything for not having sign-off, so it's just down to whether it was done well.

If it was merely a partition wall, then it was only ever a bit of timber studding and plasterboard, and doesn't contribute anything to the house's structure.
If it was structural, then they should have put some structural support in, which may be totally hidden. Lack of it would be visible after a dozen years...

FreeBear

AlexMac wrote: »

Nobody even mentioned Building Regs... in fact, did they exist in the mid 20th century?

Building regulations have existed in one form or another since around the time of the Great Fire of London. However, it was a very regional affair with different rules depending on where you were in the country. These building "regulations" have evolved since 1666 to take in to account changes in living conditions amongst other things.