Cavity wall Insulation Guarantee - Seller not providing original but copy + No Fensa certificate

AC20

1. We are buying a house but our solicitor has informed that the Building regulations Reference had Date Received of 2009 but No Decision to Date. We have a copy of certificate, but when we requested the original on completion but we were informed it won’t be provided. Is this a cause for concern?

2. Our solicitor has asked for FENSA Installation certificates for work completed in 2005. The certificates are not available. Do we still require an indemnity policy considering the time period elapsed?

Sunsaru

Can't answer number one but the answer for 2 is no, you don't. 
Have you tried here? https://forms.fensa.org.uk/fensa-certificate

AC20

Sunsaru said:

Can't answer number one but the answer for 2 is no, you don't. 
Have you tried here? https://forms.fensa.org.uk/fensa-certificate

Thanks. We just asked the seller for the same. Ideally they should be paying for it?

Sunsaru

They should, but this site will let you know if they actually do exist. I've just check my recent purchase and mine's dated 2005 so it goes back far enough.

user1977

AC20 said:

1. We are buying a house but our solicitor has informed that the Building regulations Reference had Date Received of 2009 but No Decision to Date. We have a copy of certificate, but when we requested the original on completion but we were informed it won’t be provided. Is this a cause for concern?

Your subject line mentions a cavity wall insulation guarantee, but here you're talking about building regulations - can you clarify? In general though there aren't many things where having an "original" document makes any difference from having a copy (many "originals" these days are just electronic documents in the first place).

Greatgimp

Your Fensa would be out of guarantee anyway.

maisie_cat

I'm not sure if Certass go back that far, but they are an alternative to Fensa

AC20

user1977 said:

AC20 said:

1. We are buying a house but our solicitor has informed that the Building regulations Reference had Date Received of 2009 but No Decision to Date. We have a copy of certificate, but when we requested the original on completion but we were informed it won’t be provided. Is this a cause for concern?

Your subject line mentions a cavity wall insulation guarantee, but here you're talking about building regulations - can you clarify? In general though there aren't many things where having an "original" document makes any difference from having a copy (many "originals" these days are just electronic documents in the first place).

We are referring to Cavity wall guarantee. We know from building control regulation application that it was applied for. They said the original won't be provided.

eddddy

AC20 said:

We are referring to Cavity wall guarantee. We know from building control regulation application that it was applied for. They said the original won't be provided.

The "original cavity wall guarantee document" is pretty much irrelevant.

The type of things you need to establish are:

• Who installed the insulation - are they a reputable company?
• If they issued a guarantee - what are the terms?
• Is is transferable to you? If so, what do you need to do to transfer it? (Do you have to pay a fee, etc?)
• If it's a company backed guarantee - is the company still in business? If not, the guarantee is worthless.
• If it's insurance backed, find out the current status of the insurance company.
• Speak to the company/insurer to make sure the guarantee is still in force etc.
  
• Look online etc for reviews of the company that did the installation, and reviews from people who have tried to claim on the guarantee. 

AC20 said:

2. Our solicitor has asked for FENSA Installation certificates for work completed in 2005. The certificates are not available. Do we still require an indemnity policy considering the time period elapsed?

That's up to your mortgage lender (who will be advised by your solicitor).

In simple terms, it's a bit like this....

You have to prove that the windows were installed in 2005 - and not much more recently - or pay about £50 for an indemnity policy.

So if a FENSA certificate can't be found, one option might be to pay a surveyor £300 to inspect them and write a report saying that they were probably installed in 2005. But it's cheaper and easier to just pay £50 for (unnecessary) indemnity insurance.

AC20

eddddy said:

AC20 said:

We are referring to Cavity wall guarantee. We know from building control regulation application that it was applied for. They said the original won't be provided.

The "original cavity wall guarantee document" is pretty much irrelevant.

The type of things you need to establish are:

• Who installed the insulation - are they a reputable company?
• If they issued a guarantee - what are the terms?
• Is is transferable to you? If so, what do you need to do to transfer it? (Do you have to pay a fee, etc?)
• If it's a company backed guarantee - is the company still in business? If not, the guarantee is worthless.
• If it's insurance backed, find out the current status of the insurance company.
• Speak to the company/insurer to make sure the guarantee is still in force etc.
  
• Look online etc for reviews of the company that did the installation, and reviews from people who have tried to claim on the guarantee. 

AC20 said:

2. Our solicitor has asked for FENSA Installation certificates for work completed in 2005. The certificates are not available. Do we still require an indemnity policy considering the time period elapsed?

That's up to your mortgage lender (who will be advised by your solicitor).

In simple terms, it's a bit like this....

You have to prove that the windows were installed in 2005 - and not much more recently - or pay about £50 for an indemnity policy.

So if a FENSA certificate can't be found, one option might be to pay a surveyor £300 to inspect them and write a report saying that they were probably installed in 2005. But it's cheaper and easier to just pay £50 for (unnecessary) indemnity insurance.

This is really useful.

1. It's a company issued certificate but its transferable to subsequent owner. For any issues / claims, CIGA has to be informed.
2. Thanks. I'll leave it with the solicitor. We already have the mortgage approved.

FreeBear

If the windows were installed after the cavity wall insulation, you'll probably find a clause in the guarantee that voids any warranty. I have recollections of that after I had my walls done.