Building regulations missing completion certificate for loft conversion 2004 but shows in searches.

smokeythecat

Hello,
I am in the process of selling my home of the last 30 years. 
In 2004 the loft was converted to create 2 extra bedrooms making it a 6 bedroom house.
The work was completed using building regulations/architects plans/ enginiering reports and fire certificates and electrical certificates.
The Building regulations work was carried out by an approved inspection company and shows on the Council planning portal on line as works approved and completed in Jan 2005. They have also written to confirm that they consider the works completed.

The problem i have is that I do not have a copy of the completion certificate as these I understand were not automatically issued at this time prior to 2013 when legislation changed requiring certificates to be automatically issued.

The loft conversion is showing as completed in searches however our potential purchasers mortgage company are requiring a copy of the original certificate.

if this is not produced they plan to value the house as a 4 bedroom property instead of the 6 bedroom property vastly reducing its value.
They have informed our potential purchasers that they will not be allowed to use the 2 2nd story bedrooms as they are not "habitable space" this is despite the fact the rooms have complied with the building regulations of the time and have been used as such for the last 20 years.

The potential purchasers organised a build surveyor to separately examine the house and he was fully satisfied with the works. 

I also organised a separate building surveyors report and they also found no issues with the property.

I researched and found that " The new protocol does state that the original documents are not required if building regulations information shows up on searches eg FENSA"

Our solicitor handling the potential sale has suggested an insurance policy however the potential purchasers mortgage company is still insisting on an original completion certificate from 20 years ago.

After 20 years neither the council or the company who handled the original building regulations approval are able to help as records are not kept for more than 15 years and the council state that the work was carried out by a 3rd party.

Does anyone have any experience of historic building regulations or suggestions.

Bigphil1474

I can tell you that I have obtained a copy of a planning document from my council for an extension on the house we are buying from 1994. There's no way they shouldn't have documents more than 15 years ago - either they are fobbing you off or someone has messed up. 

You can ask Building Control to do something like a regularisation - basically a retrospective BC sign off. Not sure how much it costs, or exactly how it works, but it's worth giving them a ring to see if they can help. 

Green_hopeful

Barnet council only keeps records for 15 years. I was looking for something and they said they don’t keep them that long. 

You could ask building regulations to re certify. We had our whole house re certified. New build that was not signed off at the time. They certify against the regulations at the time.