Seller declared walls knocked down were non-load bearing... should I drop this? (no pun intended)

justpassingthrough24

Hi all, FTB and would appreciate some advice. Understandably not getting a straight answer from my solicitor or surveyor as I appreciate they need to cover themselves.

Around 6 months ago, the seller knocked down three internal walls on the ground floor of the house I'm purchasing to make it open plan. He has no building regs or planning permission as he says it wasn't required. He's declared that the walls were non-load bearing walls, but with no building regs or structural surveys to actually prove this, only the word of the builder that did the job.

Having spoken to others, it seems commonplace to get a structural engineer involved when knocking down any walls of a house. It makes me very edgy that he doesn't even have building regs for this.

Having done a bit of research, some of these walls could have been load-bearing. For example there is a wall directly above one of the knocked down walls. Of course I know there is no way of knowing definitively unless I bring in a structural engineer but unfortunately I don't have spare funds for this.

My question is, how soon after removing potential load bearing walls would structural damage be evident? Surely the house would've fallen in by now if this was the case (and no support added in place of the wall removal)? According to my survey there is no evidence of structural damage but they have said they cannot verify if the walls removed were load bearing or not..

I am just a bit stuck on what to do. Should I drop this? If they were in fact load-bearing walls, the appropriate support must have been put in place or the house surely would've fallen in? Or am I right to keep pushing as this could have implications once I own the property?

Thanks in advance

FlorayG

Jees if there's no RSJ in place I would definitely want a structural engineer in - have you thought about the problems you might have insuring the property? Seller probably never told his insurance company that he'd done it.
Some nutter in my street knocked out a wall in his housing association bungalow, when they found out they had to put him and his wife in a hotel while they repaired the damage and re-instated the wall before it all fell down - and that was a bungalow

justpassingthrough24

FlorayG said:

Jees if there's no RSJ in place I would definitely want a structural engineer in - have you thought about the problems you might have insuring the property? Seller probably never told his insurance company that he'd done it.
Some nutter in my street knocked out a wall in his housing association bungalow, when they found out they had to put him and his wife in a hotel while they repaired the damage and re-instated the wall before it all fell down - and that was a bungalow

The problem is I don't know if I'm being overkill by not wanting to believe his word - he's declared they were non-load bearing on the TA6 but just has no proof. I don't see any RSJ but there's also no structural damage and the house hasn't fallen in yet after 6 months...

teaselMay

I'd walk away, sounds like all sorts of potential issues even if there is no structural issue, even more if there is. 

If they've knocked down walls in such a cavalier manner what else have they done?

it doesn't sound as though you're being overkill

user1977

“Non-load bearing“ (even if true) doesn’t equate to “exempt from building regulations”.

justpassingthrough24

Bookworm105 said:

you are asking strangers on the internet to hold your hand about something you admit yourself you have no evidence to substantiate your assumption and no willingness to spend money to get a consultant in who could.

find a different house to buy...

I must be missing the concept of a public forum where people come to ask for informal advice that could help with direction when things feel a little overwhelming, but many thanks for your super helpful comment.

BlueVeranda

I would want a structural engineer to take a look at the very least; if you can't afford one at this time I would give serious thought to pulling out. It is possible he is correct that they weren't load bearing, it is possible he put in an RSJ that can't now be seen, but the lack of documentation means you're taking a lot on trust. Could you afford remedial work if it started cracking the week after you moved in?

mebu60

What level of survey have you had done and what did it say regarding the knocked down walls? Are you getting a mortgage? 

Are there other properties that you'd be interested in that might be a more straightforward proposition? 

Stubod

Simples...get a structural engineer in to have a look, if not, don't buy it.

Bookworm105

mebu60 said:

What level of survey have you had done and what did it say regarding the knocked down walls? Are you getting a mortgage? 

did you read the OP? 

" not getting a straight answer from my solicitor or surveyor"

Bookworm105

justpassingthrough24 said:

Bookworm105 said:

you are asking strangers on the internet to hold your hand about something you admit yourself you have no evidence to substantiate your assumption and no willingness to spend money to get a consultant in who could.

find a different house to buy...

I must be missing the concept of a public forum where people come to ask for informal advice that could help with direction when things feel a little overwhelming, but many thanks for your super helpful comment.

you are missing the concept of a public forum where we are not psychics and cannot see what your house comprises so as to make useful and reliable comments
we can however tell you what you apparently don't want to hear:
- employ a professional who can
or
- go buy somewhere else