Chimney Breast Removal - No building reg

Giggidy

The level3 survey report highlighted that the rear chimney breast was removed from the semi-detached property we are hoping to purchase and to confirm building regulation certificate for this. The vendor's dont have a certificate for this, the property was extended a few years ago and part of it still needs finishing off, so they have building reg for that but not a completion certificate. The council confirmed once the electrics are done they will issue a completion certificate. But where do we stand with not having a certificate for the chimney breast removal? The survey also noted that a structural engineer should check the stability of the stack in the case of no certificate. 

Where do we go from here? Our solicitor has notified our lender, and we are waiting to hear back, is it likely they will ask for some sort of indemnity insurance or that remedial works be done, or worst case scenario withdraw their offer? Can the vendor ask the council to do a retrospective inspection or a structural engineer to check, don't particular want to be fobbed of with just an indemnity insurance because we still need to ensure the chimney doesn't fall on our heads. Added to that, there is no party wall agreement with the neighbour, because they are 'mates' and didn't think it was necessary. We are nearing the stage of exchange, and don't want to walk away now if this could be remedied easily. 

jonnydeppiwish!

Pay a structural engineer to look at it.

Woolsery

Giggidy said:

 The survey also noted that a structural engineer should check the stability of the stack in the case of no certificate.

Your own post says what you should do. The SE will be able to provide calculations for any remedial works required.

nicmyles

If the council are aware, it won't be possible to get indemnity insurance anyway. Or do they just know about the extension, not the chimney breast?

If the council know about the chimney breast, really it needs the structural engineer to confirm all is well and the council to issue the certificate.

If they don't, you should get the structural report and take the indemnity insurance.

It's an obstacle, which might take a bit of time to sort, and I would suggest you are no longer "near exchange", but I wouldn't walk away at this stage, things like this come up all the time and just need to be worked through. 

Unless you have any reason to believe a bodge job was done? 

Section62

nicmyles said:

Unless you have any reason to believe a bodge job was done? 

A smallish job which takes a "few years" to complete would leave me feeling the need for some extra scrutiny.

It is also important to get an understanding of when the stack was removed, and how that might relate to the extension project.

Giggidy

The extension work was done in 2017 and this included removal of the chimney breasts in the rear bedroom and downstairs dining room. The surveyor noted that it appears to be supported by a steel beam but also there is a crack in the render, which he cannot check the brickwork underneath for obvious reasons, and suggested this be checked by the structural engineer. 

The council were not aware that the chimney breasts were removed, and I am not sure why the vendor failed to disclose this during the 3 site building control site visits or why they didnt pick up on it. The vendor is not very forthcoming with information so we would need to have this checked properly

Woolsery

Giggidy said:

The vendor is not very forthcoming with information so we would need to have this checked properly

People rarely are until it eventually dawns on them that this is something anyone who has a survey will stall at.