FTB - Brand new extension no building regs - please help!

Mollydog112

Hi everyone,
Just to close the loop on this - we contacted the vendor who was genuinely unaware he needed them as he thought they were only needed if planning permission was needed. 

He couldn’t have been more helpful or eager to get sign off himself once he realised he needs it - he has structural plans, photos at each build stage, invoices of materials used etc and has said he is fine if they need to see foundations as he knows it will pass and is happy to do whatever work is required to show that. He contacted our LA the same day and someone is coming out to inspect it next week! 

Slithery

I really didn't expect that. A fantastic outcome.

macman

Call me cynical, but his claim that he thought BR approval only applied if PP were also required is just risible. Even if he were not aware, his builder must have been.
Is he aware of the full extent of the 'exposing' work that will be required for the granting of retrospective approval, and the cost of it? It's no good asking the LA to come out and inspect next week unless the 'unbuilding' work is done first. The inspector isn't going to start digging holes to check the footings depth, or knocking holes in the ceiling to check the insulation. He will do a visual inspection, and, if he can't see it, he won't pass it.The plans and photos don't prove what has actually been done.

Slithery

macman said:

It's no good asking the LA to come out and inspect next week unless the 'unbuilding' work is done first. The inspector isn't going to start digging holes to check the footings depth, or knocking holes in the ceiling to check the insulation. He will do a visual inspection, and, if he can't see it, he won't pass it.

If the photos that the vendor has are good enough then no 'unbuilding' will be needed.

macman

Since it's retrospective, an inspector may rightly be cautious of photographic records only; photos are two-dimensional only, can be selective, and all too easily altered. It's impossible to anticipate what they might want to see.
Very convenient that the vendor didn't think BR was required, but happened to take enough photos of the build process to 'prove' compliance after the event?

Weathergirl_76

Do let us know the outcome! Good luck 

eve824

Sounds a bit fishy, but I really hope for your sake that it's a simple misunderstanding.
We had similar when we bought our first house. The vendor had removed a wall between the kitchen and dining area then ticked 'no' on the relevant questions in the PIF. The only reason we started asking more questions was because it was a 1940's house which was all open plan downstairs, which didn't feel right to me. We threatened to walk unless they got retrospective BR and low and behold the RSJ they used was the wrong spec and it had to be replaced. 
You were absolutely right to stand your ground on this one. Good luck  

edgex

Have you checked the condition of other works done?

A new kitchen will of course look nice, but it could all be in front of crappy wiring that needs re-doing.

pinkteapot

Mollydog112 said:

Hi everyone,
Just to close the loop on this - we contacted the vendor who was genuinely unaware he needed them as he thought they were only needed if planning permission was needed. 

He couldn’t have been more helpful or eager to get sign off himself once he realised he needs it - he has structural plans, photos at each build stage, invoices of materials used etc and has said he is fine if they need to see foundations as he knows it will pass and is happy to do whatever work is required to show that. He contacted our LA the same day and someone is coming out to inspect it next week! 

Good news so far! Keep us posted and hope it does get sorted for you.  If we do take him at face value that he didn't know he needed it then he's doing the right thing as if you pull out then (almost) any future buyer will want it sorting to. 

lincroft1710

Mollydog112 said:

Hi everyone,
Just to close the loop on this - we contacted the vendor who was genuinely unaware he needed them as he thought they were only needed if planning permission was needed. 

He's not exactly clued up on this property development lark, is he?