Partial garage conversion - No building regs

Bazooka_joe

I lived in my house since 2010 and I’ve now sold it. Back in 2010 I had a partial garage conversion with a raised wooden floor and drywall on all four walls. There are three doors. A UPVC one leading into the kitchen. A wooden door leading to the remainder of the garage and then the garage has a door that leads to outside. The third door leads into the laundry room which in turn leads to outside.
The room has electrical sockets which I believe leads from the mains sockets that were already there. It also hads a radiator plumbed in.
i never obtained building regulations because the builder told me that because there was a UPVC door between the garage and the kitchen that it would be classed as external and no planning permission will be needed. I just took that as meaning no building regs  would be needed so that’s my fault. 
My buyers solicitor is now asking for a copy of the building regulations. As the conversion was done  14 years ago, am I right in thinking that I don’t need to apply for retrospective building regs but I do need to do something. In 14 years, the room has been rock solid with no damp and no issues. Should I speak to my solicitor about offering indemnity insurance?  I don’t really want this to hold the house sale up.
Any advice appreciated. Thanks 

user1977

Bazooka_joe said:

Should I speak to my solicitor about offering indemnity insurance?  I don’t really want this to hold the house sale up.

Well it's definitely going to be held up if you don't speak to your solicitor! Why not offer indemnity insurance?

Bazooka_joe

Thanks for your reply. I only heard from my solicitor today about the building regs which is why I want to get on it and I have just emailed them back asking them about indemnity insurance. Is that my only option?

sheramber

A ddor between a gagrage and a a house  needs to be a fire rated door.

FreeBear

Bazooka_joe said: i never obtained building regulations because the builder told me that because there was a UPVC door between the garage and the kitchen that it would be classed as external and no planning permission will be needed. I just took that as meaning no building regs  would be needed so that’s my fault.

And hopefully you have learnt never to trust what a builder has to say about planning & building regs.

As the work was completed ~14 years ago, it is too late for the council to serve an enforcement notice or initiate any other legal action.

Note - Rules changed earlier this year, and the council now have ten years rather than the original four to serve notice. They can also hold the builder jointly liable, so hopefully that will up their game.