Building Regs Insurance?

peterhjohnson

I've bought (STC) a house that had a nice extension put on it 10-20 years ago. All the required consents are in place except there was no Building Regs Completion Certificate. The property changed hands and then about 2 years ago, changes were made to the extension and those were properly consented. My solicitor has suggested that he may be able to get me insurance to cover the earlier lack of Completion Certificate.

1. As I understand it, the LA can only complain about building regs for 12 months after work is complete
2. The insurance doesn't cover work that's less than 12 months old?
3. So there's no way the insurance will ever pay out????
4. Surely my sellers should have got insurance when they bought??? - and should pay for any policy that's needed now???

eddddy

peterhjohnson wrote: »

1. As I understand it, the LA can only complain about building regs for 12 months after work is complete
2. The insurance doesn't cover work that's less than 12 months old?
3. So there's no way the insurance will ever pay out????

Yep - that's why indemnity insurance is so cheap.

I guess the justification is roughly as folows:

• The mortgage lender will be worried that if an extension is less than 12 months old, the LA could take enforcement action.

• You could gather lots of documents and/or get a surveyor's report to prove that the extension is more than 12 months old...

• ... or you could just pay £50 for an indemnity insurance policy - to make the problem 'go away'. Overall, it will probably be quicker and cheaper to pay the £50.

peterhjohnson wrote: »

4. Surely my sellers should have got insurance when they bought???

It may be that nobody told the purchaser's solicitor about the extension (or the solicitor wasn't as pedantic as your solicitor).

peterhjohnson wrote: »

- and should pay for any policy that's needed now???

It's negotiable, but often the seller pays.

peterhjohnson

eddddy wrote: »

• The mortgage lender will be worried that if an extension is less than 12 months old, the LA could take enforcement action.

.

But if the extension is under 12 months old, the insurance doesn't pay - so the insurance is of zero benefit to the lender (or me) either way!!!

It's a bit like PPI for the self-employed!

G_M

peterhjohnson wrote: »

1. As I understand it, the LA can only complain about building regs for 12 months after work is complete correct
2. The insurance doesn't cover work that's less than 12 months old? probably correct - check the policy
3. So there's no way the insurance will ever pay out???? correct
4. Surely my sellers should have got insurance when they bought??? - and should pay for any policy that's needed now???

Well they could have asked for it.
Why should they pay for a policy they will never benefit from, and which you will never benefit from, and which will only be of benefit, via the premium, to the insurance compay?