Completion certificate

philgc

Hello,
Any advice appreciated.
In the process of selling our house, the buyers had a survey done recently and has thrown up that there isnt a completion certificate on one of the extensions (we have the planning approval for it).

The extension in duspute was done in 1982. Are completion certificates still relevant if the work was done nearly 40 years ago?
How do i go about getting a certificate if i cant find it?
Many thanks in advance!
Phil

davidmcn

It's ancient history, you just tell them you don't have one and it's decades old.

greatcrested

Issue 1: Local Authority inspects and condemns. Errrr.... except Building Regs can't be enforced after the passing of..... 12 months. So that's that dealt with!

Issue 2: Build quality was poor and extension might fall down. Hmmm.... Probably would already have happened by now I suspect! Buyer can always have a survey done.

Doozergirl

The building regulations didn't exist in 1982! 

There could never be a certificate.  

philgc

So is this basically a case of the solucitor justifying their fee by flagging everything up even if insignificant?

Slithery

It's probably just a standard set of enquiries that they send to all of the vendors.

Doozergirl

philgc said:

So is this basically a case of the solucitor justifying their fee by flagging everything up even if insignificant?

No one seems to teach them the nuances of the planning and building control systems.   It takes experience to start to understand it. 

Note that they don't ask for the certificates for the original building.  So there's an understanding somewhere that paperwork doesn't exist past a certain point.  

davidmcn

philgc said:

So is this basically a case of the solucitor justifying their fee by flagging everything up even if insignificant?

They'll ask for everything they can (as it's the buyer's only opportunity to do so) and make decisions based on the responses. Just because they've asked for something doesn't mean they've already decided that it's a deal-breaker.

Thrugelmir

philgc said:

So is this basically a case of the solucitor justifying their fee by flagging everything up even if insignificant?

So wasn't actually the survey.  When people buy an old car they like to see as much of the service history as possible. The world is invested with sharks who have no hesitation in ripping the shirt off your back given have a chance. Solicitors ask the questions and allow their clients to make an informed decision. After all thousands of pounds are being spent. 

philgc

Thrugelmir said:

philgc said:

So is this basically a case of the solucitor justifying their fee by flagging everything up even if insignificant?

So wasn't actually the survey.  When people buy an old car they like to see as much of the service history as possible. The world is invested with sharks who have no hesitation in ripping the shirt off your back given have a chance. Solicitors ask the questions and allow their clients to make an informed decision. After all thousands of pounds are being spent. 

Yes apologies, survey was last week but the solicitors flagged the certificate issue from the extension done in the early 80's.
Certainly dont think anythings a deal breaker, its my first time selling a house so Im new to it all. Survey has thrown up some other issues we are unaware of too so might get a builder in for an opinion on them, at the end of the day it's nearly a 100 year old house