building regs indemnity insurance

Kayebb444

Hello, I am currently in the process of selling my house. However, my solicitor has mentioned that as we didn't get a building regs certificate for removing a large window and installing a patio door, we now need to get indemnity insurance.
The window did not need a lintel and no side brickwork was removed, it was an area around 2ft by 8ft beneath that was removed only. The installer said that we did not need planning, as it was at the rear of the house onto the garden and it isn't a listed building. we had this work done in 2018 and had no problems since. i have read lots online but cant seem to find the correct information. do we pay for the indemnity ourselves and what are the costs approximately or shall we let the solicitor deal with it. I just need a guide line cost of the indemnity. Can i get  a building certificate or is it too late and would it be worth it thanks  

MyRealNameToo

Planning and regs are not linked, something doesnt have to need planning permission to need building regs sign off. 

Ultimately it's a negotiation, the buyers lender is likely to be the one requiring it but clearly they won't be the one buying it. Sometimes the seller pays, sometimes the buyer pays, depends who's in the stronger position or has the bigger balls. 

Your solicitor will advise what the price will be, normally its not very expensive and tiny compared to the total cost of buying a house. 

Rodders53

Did you get a FENSA or similar certificate for the door installation... that includes BR logging with your Council. Check with the Installer if they are/were a scheme member.  Find and order your FENSA certificate   There are other trade bodies that do similar competent persons registration of the work.

See if your Local Council Buildings Regulations department have an online  searchable record of the install.  (Mine does and I can see the reported / registered works I and my neighbours with the same postcode have had done).

Your solicitor will advise their price of the indemnity insurance they offer.

eddddy

The simplest, cheapest solution would probably be to get indemnity insurance - if that's acceptable to your buyer. Your solicitor has to arrange that.


Taking a step back - a 'professional' window / patio door installer would typically be certified through either FENSA, CERTASS or ASSURE.

That means that the installer could 'sign off' your door installation themselves - if the opening wasn't made any wider. So just to double check, did your installer self-certify through any of those schemes?

If not, the correct thing to do would have been get a building control inspector to visit and sign it off at the time - probably at a cost of about £300 to £400.



Just to clarify...

Kayebb444 said:

The window did not need a lintel...

Are you saying that a (suitable) lintel already existed above the opening, so no new lintel was required?

Or are you saying, there was no lintel over the window - i.e. it was a 'structural window frame' which was supporting the weight of the building above it?

If it's the latter, that might be worrying. New patio door frames aren't generally designed to provide structural support and be load bearing.

Kayebb444

Thanks for all the great replies.There is a lintel already in place as the original window was huge, so we did not need to have one installed,