Lack of Building Regulation documents for the heating

[iD]

In the process of buying a house and my solicitors have informed me that there isn't any Building Regulation documents for the heating. They've offered to pay for indemnity insurance to cover that.

I'm assuming this is normal? Also, is there anything I should look out for? Or anything to beware of in the future?

As I wasn't sure, I have asked them to get the certificate for now. Can someone advise me on the process of getting the certification and how long it generally takes?

Thanks in advance

To add, indemnity policy has the following 

What is insured?

Building Regulations - FENSA, HETAS, gas and electrical installations

The local authority takes enforcement action because your Property does not have the relevant FENSA, gas and/or electrical, HETAS and/or other certificate of compliance with building regulations, where such works were capable of being self-certified under a competent persons scheme.

What is not insured?

Loss or Damage resulting from physical or structural defects to the Property

Any Claim relating to works carried out after the Policy Commencement Date or resulting from inspection of works carried out or intended to be carried out after the Policy Commencement Date where those works directly affect and/or require alteration to previously completed works covered by this Policy.

Repair, maintenance or replacement of any defective or inadequate works, materials and/or installation other than where required following the local authority taking enforcement action.

Are there any restrictions on cover?

You cannot make an application to the local authority for retrospective consent or for a certificate of lawful use without the Insurer's prior written consent.

eddddy

[iD] said:

As I wasn't sure, I have asked them to get the certificate for now. Can someone advise me on the process of getting the certification and how long it generally takes?

What sort of heating is it? Is it a gas boiler?

If so, do you mean they have a gas boiler and no installation certificate? (i.e. it wasn't installed by a Gas Safe engineer)

Or do you mean it had an installation certificate, but the sellers can't find it?

Or something else?

[iD]

eddddy said:

[iD] said:

As I wasn't sure, I have asked them to get the certificate for now. Can someone advise me on the process of getting the certification and how long it generally takes?

What sort of heating is it? Is it a gas boiler?

If so, do you mean they have a gas boiler and no installation certificate? (i.e. it wasn't installed by a Gas Safe engineer)

Or do you mean it had an installation certificate, but the sellers can't find it?

Or something else?

It is a combi boiler and they don't have a certificate for it. They have provided a recent boiler maintenance/service checklist.

Being completely honest, I'm not sure if the Building Regulation documents are missing for just the boiler or for heating overall (I assume it covers windows etc as well?)

Indemnity is to cover for both FENSA and HETAS.

dannim12345

Is it recently installed?  If not, I would be happy with just a recent service. 

[iD]

dannim12345 said:

Is it recently installed?  If not, I would be happy with just a recent service. 

It's not recently installed. Probably been a good number of years. Its a valiant 837.

Lorian

You can generally check if one exists before paying for a copy I recall

https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/gas-safety/gas-safety-certificates-records/building-regulations-certificate/

[iD]

Lorian said:

You can generally check if one exists before paying for a copy I recall

https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/gas-safety/gas-safety-certificates-records/building-regulations-certificate/

Thanks, It doesn't. I called them to confirm that earlier today.

FreeBear

Lorian said: You can generally check if one exists before paying for a copy I recall

Sometimes, a call to the local council with the question "What planning/building works do you have on file for this property" will tell you if the boiler has been notified. Keeping the question open without asking about specific works means any indemnity policy remains valid.

eddddy

[iD] said:

As I wasn't sure, I have asked them to get the certificate for now. Can someone advise me on the process of getting the certification and how long it generally takes?

If you're talking about building regulations, presumably you mean a boiler installation certificate.

So do you mean you want them to arrange a retrospective installation certificate from a Gas Safe engineer?

FWIW, I was trying to arrange one of those for a gas boiler a while ago. The typical response I got from many Gas Safe engineers was along the lines of...

"If I sign-off somebody else's boiler installation, and it turns out to be unsafe, I could end up in prison. So if you want me to provide an installation certificate, I will want to take the boiler off the wall and go through the entire installation process myself, to make sure it's done properly."

(But I suspect there was an element of 'teaching the homeowner a lesson', because they assumed the homeowner had got an unregistered/unqualified person to fit the boiler on the cheap.)



But if all you want is a Gas Safety certificate (which is nothing to do with building regs), a Gas Safe engineer might provide one for about £50.

[iD]

eddddy said:

[iD] said:

As I wasn't sure, I have asked them to get the certificate for now. Can someone advise me on the process of getting the certification and how long it generally takes?

If you're talking about building regulations, presumably you mean a boiler installation certificate.

So do you mean you want them to arrange a retrospective installation certificate from a Gas Safe engineer?

FWIW, I was trying to arrange one of those for a gas boiler a while ago. The typical response I got from many Gas Safe engineers was along the lines of...

"If I sign-off somebody else's boiler installation, and it turns out to be unsafe, I could end up in prison. So if you want me to provide an installation certificate, I will want to take the boiler off the wall and go through the entire installation process myself, to make sure it's done properly."

(But I suspect there was an element of 'teaching the homeowner a lesson', because they assumed the homeowner had got an unregistered/unqualified person to fit the boiler on the cheap.)



But if all you want is a Gas Safety certificate (which is nothing to do with building regs), a Gas Safe engineer might provide one for about £50.

Thanks Eddy
Ideally I'd like Building regs certificate. Starting to not like the idea of indemnity for anything, before there was a restrictive covenant and now this. Unless I'm thinking too much and getting indemnity is a normal thing to do instead of going down the route of getting building regs certs

I was provided a maintenance checklist which I guess is same as gas safety certificate (at least where boiler is concern?)

Please pardon my ignorance as all this is uncharted waters for me.

Jonboy_1984

Have you checked the district councils website for a register? Round here all the building control filings are freely viewable online for the last 20 years or so.