Indemnity insurance for extension & drive

northwest1965

Drive was fitted in 2016. Block paved with a drain running along the end. Should we have had planning permission?? Or is this just for permeable?

When we bought the house in 2013, an extension on kitchen was done in 1974. No building regs, we just have a copy of plans stamped by council. ( Our seller got an indemnity policy)

If we need to get a new indemnity policy to sell, would we need 2 separate policies?? (1 for drive, 1 for extension)

eddddy

northwest1965 said:

If we need to get a new indemnity policy to sell, would we need 2 separate policies?? (1 for drive, 1 for extension)

It's really a case of waiting to see what the buyer (or their mortgage lender) wants.

Typically, that will be based on what the mortgage lender's valuer is concerned about when they do a valuation visit.

For example, the valuer might not raise a concern about the drive - so then the mortgage lender wouldn't require indemnity insurance for the drive.

northwest1965

eddddy said:

northwest1965 said:

If we need to get a new indemnity policy to sell, would we need 2 separate policies?? (1 for drive, 1 for extension)

It's really a case of waiting to see what the buyer (or their mortgage lender) wants.

Typically, that will be based on what the mortgage lender's valuer is concerned about when they do a valuation visit.

For example, the valuer might not raise a concern about the drive - so then the mortgage lender wouldn't require indemnity insurance for the drive.

The solicitors are asking the questions about building regs & indemnity insurance 

eddddy

northwest1965 said:

eddddy said:

northwest1965 said:

If we need to get a new indemnity policy to sell, would we need 2 separate policies?? (1 for drive, 1 for extension)

It's really a case of waiting to see what the buyer (or their mortgage lender) wants.

Typically, that will be based on what the mortgage lender's valuer is concerned about when they do a valuation visit.

For example, the valuer might not raise a concern about the drive - so then the mortgage lender wouldn't require indemnity insurance for the drive.

The solicitors are asking the questions about building regs & indemnity insurance 

OK - from your initial post, I thought you meant you were thinking about selling.

But if solicitors are involved, I'm guessing that your property is under offer and you're going through conveyancing.

So, I assume that...
- Your buyer has applied for a mortgage
- The mortgage lender sent a valuer
- The valuer raised concerns about the extension and drive
- The buyer's solicitor is asking your solicitor about the extension and drive
- Your solicitor is asking you about the extension and drive
- And perhaps there's currently a discussion going backwards and forwards

Is that correct?

So as I say, you wait to see what the buyer's solicitor / mortgage lender asks for. They might ask for 2 indemnity policies. If so, they will probably ask you to pay for them. It's up to you whether you agree to pay or not.

northwest1965

eddddy said:

But if solicitors are involved, I'm guessing that your property is under offer and you're going through conveyancing.

So, I assume that...
- Your buyer has applied for a mortgage
- The mortgage lender sent a valuer
- The valuer raised concerns about the extension and drive
- The buyer's solicitor is asking your solicitor about the extension and drive
- Your solicitor is asking you about the extension and drive
- And perhaps there's currently a discussion going backwards and forwards

Is that correct?

So as I say, you wait to see what the buyer's solicitor / mortgage lender asks for. They might ask for 2 indemnity policies. If so, they will probably ask you to pay for them. It's up to you whether you agree to pay or not.

Yes, that is correct

I've done a little bit of overnight research and it turns out that as it is permeable material (with a drain), the drive can be any size. (From Marshalls website and others). I suppose the solicitor should have asked the question as to what it was made of. 
They had a survey/valuation so he should of made a note of material.

Albermarle

northwest1965 said:

Drive was fitted in 2016. Block paved with a drain running along the end. Should we have had planning permission?? Or is this just for permeable?

When we bought the house in 2013, an extension on kitchen was done in 1974. No building regs, we just have a copy of plans stamped by council. ( Our seller got an indemnity policy)

If we need to get a new indemnity policy to sell, would we need 2 separate policies?? (1 for drive, 1 for extension)

AIUI it would be very unusual to have building regs sign off from that time. It was about another 10 years before they started to become more normal, and even then it varied by region.
A copy of plans stamped by the council should be sufficient.
The reason I know is that a family member recently bought a house that had been extended upwards about 40 years ago and there was no building regs certificate. Their solicitor said that was normal for work done that long ago.
I also asked on here and got pretty much the same answer.