Chimney breasts and lounge wall removed without plan/docs

pieroabcd

lincroft1710 said:

pieroabcd said:

After talking to several structural engineers (that confirmed that the situation can be regularised) I've decided to go on with the searches and fix whatever needs fixing after the purchase.

Yet I can't avoid to think that it's insane that sellers are allowed to sell houses that are non compliant with the regulations.
In most countries in Europe a house in that condition just *can't* be sold, as is fair.
The burden should be on the sellers, not on the  buyers that are at the mercy of solicitors and totally unaware of regulations.
It's paradoxical that sellers make a mess and buyers must fix it.

Because building regulations change frequently (especially regarding electrics) the vast majority of properties will not and probably never will comply with current regs. 


There is a very simple solution if you find a non compliant property and are not not happy with it - don't buy it!

Easier said than done when 95% of the houses on the market are unfit  (for me) for one reason or another and you don't want to lose the train (years pass and eligibility falls).
After 2 years of searching and literally hundreds of viewings I really can't have anymore.

user1977

Which European country forbids properties to be sold unless they meet current building regulations (and is also inhabited by sellers who understand those regulations)?

pieroabcd

user1977 said: Which European country forbids properties to be sold unless they meet current building regulations (and is also inhabited by sellers who understand those regulations)?

For example France, Spain, Italy. There the sales are managed by notaries that represent both sellers, buyers and the State. They are public officers, so they keep compliance in check.

isplumm

pieroabcd said:

user1977 said:

Which European country forbids properties to be sold unless they meet current building regulations (and is also inhabited by sellers who understand those regulations)?

For example France, Spain, Italy. There the sales are managed by notaries that represent both sellers, buyers and the State. They are public officers, so they keep compliance in check. Hmmm .... not sure I agree with you - the house I bought in France was definitely NOT up to the latest regs - in fact all the ones I look at weren't!

Mark

pieroabcd

isplumm said:

Hmmm .... not sure I agree with you - the house I bought in France was definitely NOT up to the latest regs - in fact all the ones I look at weren't!

Mark

what wasn't up to spec?

user1977

pieroabcd said:

user1977 said:

Which European country forbids properties to be sold unless they meet current building regulations (and is also inhabited by sellers who understand those regulations)?

For example France, Spain, Italy. There the sales are managed by notaries that represent both sellers, buyers and the State. They are public officers, so they keep compliance in check. And how does the notary know whether or not the property is compliant with current building regulations?

Section62

Although it might be nice if there was more disincentive for people to ride roughshod over the building control process, any legislation which prevented the sale of properties which didn't meet regulations would need to be carefully crafted to avoid the situation where a defective property was owned by someone who didn't have the capital to bring it up to the required standard, but was barred by law from selling it.

The current system in England (for all its faults) does at least allow properties (including those in dereliction) to be sold to people with the capital to put them back into order and allow them to become a decent home for someone.

Although legislation could provide for a 'buyer of last resort' (i.e you could always sell to the local authority or to an 'approved' business buyer) great care would need to taken to ensure this system wasn't unfair - it would be easy for desperate/vulnerable home owners to be taken advantage of in a system which prevents them selling their property at a fair market value achieved through an open market sale.

pieroabcd

iàll repond here because the quoting seems to be broken.
As in my case, a mismatch between the floorplan registerd with the land registry and the current floorplan would evidence immediately that the chimney brests were removed and a check to search the approval would fail. Same story for any other alteration.
And yes, the land registry does have the floorplan.

pieroabcd

Hi,
the solicitor has come back suggesting that part of the sewer seems to be under the perimeter of the house, as in the picture attached. Why would anyone want to do that?



The sewer is in blue and the house is red.
Does it mean that if the water company needs to do some intervention on the sewer they'll need to dig under the house or even break the lounge walls?

silvercar

pieroabcd said:

Hi,
the solicitor has come back suggesting that part of the sewer seems to be under the perimeter of the house, as in the picture attached. Why would anyone want to do that?



The sewer is in blue and the house is red.
Does it mean that if the water company needs to do some intervention on the sewer they'll need to dig under the house or even break the lounge walls?

The “why?” Is answered as because they want an extension. They should have had a build over agreement with the water board, consenting to do that. You may find a manhole cover under the flooring of the extension. Some people put up with the risk. If the water board did need to dig up, chances are they would avoid digging through the house, if they could access from either side.