No documentation for significant renovations

schizometric

Afternoon all,
the house we are buying has had some significant changes made to it in recent times, including a loft conversion which, while appears done to spec according to buildings surveyor, was never signed off by building control. The house was advertised with X beds including the loft room.

numerous other changes too including an undocumented extension. for the sake of not compromising identity I won’t mention other factors in specific detail. Suffice to say the surveyor noticed some (albeit relatively minor) issues with the additional works, and there is a general lack of documentation (gas appliances etc etc etc)

We aren’t sure what to do. We are STB so have some experience and in our experience it helps to keep hold of documentation if you have it so it’s pretty frustrating!

any advice appreciated ☺️

AdrianC

When was the loft work done?
When was the extension built?

If you want to know what the gas appliances are like, get a gas safety check done.

schizometric

We don’t know but we think since or around 2010.

AdrianC

schizometric said:

We don’t know but we think since or around 2010.

So there's precisely zero risk of comeback against lack of either BR signoff or PP.

schizometric

Sorry Adrian, would you mind elaborating? 

ProDave

Planning and building control breaches can only be enforced for a certain period of time, it is beyond the time that building control or planning can come and enforce changes to be made.

But DO get a gas safe test done, that is cheap and will either reassure you that it is safe, or tell you what needs doing.

dimbo61

If a Landlord is renting a property they have to get  a Gas Safe Certificate every year.
Many home owners NEVER have the gas appliances checked.
Now new regulations mean the gas supply pipe to a boiler must be 22mm but many homes have 15mm pipes.
They work fine but don't meet new regs.
Same with gas fires and gas hobs which must now ignite when turned on.
No using a match or cigarette lighter.
The boiler could be old and inefficient but work fine ( parts maybe hard to get ) 
You might want a structural engineer in to check the loft conversion and extension

schizometric

All useful advice thank you. We are concerned about resale and footing any costs for regularisation or structural engineer quotes and feeling quite peeved. 

schizometric

Can the house be advertised as X beds (inc loft) if it there’s no completion certificate for the loft room?

davidmcn

schizometric said:

Can the house be advertised as X beds (inc loft) if it there’s no completion certificate for the loft room?

Yes. In the same way that if, say, the kitchen didn't have a completion certificate, you don't need to pretend the house doesn't have a kitchen. See umpteen previous threads here about loft conversions. 

Surrey_EA

schizometric said:

All useful advice thank you. We are concerned about resale and footing any costs for regularisation or structural engineer quotes and feeling quite peeved. 

There is no way the council will take enforcement action at this stage.
YOur only issue should be whether the work was done to a decent standard. Any major issues should be obvious by now, but there's obviously only so much your survyeor can see when everthing is now covered by plaster etc.