Mortgage for over 60 in home with no building regs certificate?

Mendip9876

My husband and I have been living in our home since the 1990s.  The house was built in 1986.  The house has no building regs certificate from when it was originally built and is slightly larger then the original planning permission allowed.  Our mortgage lender was happy to lend to us as the previous owner had a mortgage.  Our current mortgage comes to an end in 2 years when we will be 65.  We intend to remain in the house for the foreseeable future.

We think that it will be difficult to sell our home without a building regs certificate if we pay off our mortgage.

We own an investment property with a separate mortgage. The buy-to-let mortgage will move to the expensive variable rate in July so it is time to change mortgages on the investment property. I'm thinking of looking to re-mortgage and increase the mortgage on the house we live in instead. I'd look for a mortgage term of 17 years (which would mean we'd both be 79 and would likely downsize before then). The total loan would be £160k.  Our house is worth at least £800k.

Can I be honest with a broker or lender as to why I want such a long term mortgage.  E.g. share the fact that our main house has no building regs certificate?

Paying the mortgage is not an issue.  We have plenty of liquidity; it is purely about not limiting ourselves to cash only buyers when we are ready to move from our house.

GrumpyDil

Given the ago of your existing house the chance of being asked about building regs is pretty much zero. 
It certainly is not something I would worry about 

Sarahspangles

You won’t be asked about planning permission or building regs going back 40 years. 

Mendip9876

GrumpyDil said:

Given the ago of your existing house the chance of being asked about building regs is pretty much zero. 
It certainly is not something I would worry about 

That's very helpful.  Can I ask if you are a broker?

Mendip9876

Sarahspangles said:

You won’t be asked about planning permission or building regs going back 40 years. 

Thanks so much.  Are you a broker?

user1977

Mendip9876 said:

Sarahspangles said:

You won’t be asked about planning permission or building regs going back 40 years. 

Thanks so much.  Are you a broker?

I’m a solicitor (which is more relevant on this point) rather than a broker and I agree with the comments above.

Sarahspangles

Mendip9876 said:

Sarahspangles said:

You won’t be asked about planning permission or building regs going back 40 years. 

Thanks so much.  Are you a broker?

No, but I used to work within a local authority planning department and am in touch with former colleagues.

I’m aware it’s becoming more common for vendors to be asked for evidence of planning and building control consent and compliance. There are scenarios - relating to recent work - where this is a reasonable question. But too often it’s an inexperienced conveyancer (rather than solicitor) ticking a box and creating a wild goose chase for evidence of something that wasn’t required and so never took place. Essentially, proving a negative. One way of getting over the impasse is for the vendor to pay for an (unnecessary) insurance policy. They’re inexpensive - as they’re hardly ever claimed on - but it’s the principle I object to…..

In your case this isn’t relevant as from the description your house is ‘as built’.

I’ll get off my high horse now.