Aedis Building Inspectors unreachable

theGrinch · 28 June 2019 at 7:52AM

We were due a final inspection by Aedis this week, but now understand that as they are no longer covered by insurance, they are doing no inspections or issuing certificates.

I have spoken with my local building control and they advised a Regularisation application but that I first get a copy of my case notes and then council could review and take over. Without the case notes it would be treated as no inspections and incur a much more serious invasion to "open up the work".

No luck calling (always a "busy" line) or emailing Aedis despite them giving contact details in their circular to do so.

I wondered if anyone else has had a similar experience or could suggest the best way forward.

myk33 · 28 June 2019 at 1:49PM

Im in the same position as you! spoke with my local council and to be fair I was speaking to quite an unhelpful chap who appears not to know much really so could not give me an answer when I told him if we can get the notes of what has been signed off already along with pictures if this would suffice for the council to issue the certificate without having to open up/dig to prove what had already been singed off.

Best case scenario would be that we pay again to the council but they accept what the AEDIS surveyors have already signed off (im in the mindset that i wont get any money back from AEDIS).

despite having pictures and the notes, I do worry that the council do not honor the situation and want us to smash and open up what has already been signed off which will be a huge stress and cost to which we would have to pay.

I feel that if AEDIS cannot sort their insurance issues out then people like you and me are in limbo (likely thousands of people nationally) if the council also do not honor the AEDIS notes and inspections thus far.

surly given the unique circumstances, something needs to give to get this backlog of work signed off one way or another?! IDK im just ranting now!

I like you am at the final stages of a loft conversion and single story rear ext. with the use of RSJs to support the whole back of the house. I am just weeks away to obtaining the certificate and now this.

truly gutting

theGrinch · 28 June 2019 at 4:34PM

Final inspection for loft and ground floor extension.

I agree with your sentiments.

I guess you have had no response from any Aedis number or your own inspector - is this correct?

The person I spoke with at my local BC suggested that the signed off case notes would be sufficient together with drawings and cals; but again it all comes down to the view taken (by the person at the time) when they process the application.

I was told that if they accepted the signed off stages, then I would just pay for the additional service.

My concern is that Aedis looks very vulnerable to winding up and if that happens then it could take time to get those notes.

As I am not moving, I can be patient (until Aedis is sorted out) but naturally it's a pain no-one needs.

My understanding is that this insurance crisis have been driven by the Grenfell case and one case in Australia and a reaction has happened rather than distinguishing between existing property and new builds.

Looking wider, unless its resolved, other inspectors, owners and developers will be affected and soon there will be a national problem and a glut of empty new builds.

myk33 · 28 June 2019 at 4:48PM

you are correct - no response from AEDIS other than a standard template email response when I sent an email asking for refund that states that they will get back to me in due course (whatever that means). I too feel that if the issue for them is not resolved in the coming weeks then there is a risk their company will wind up and at the same time make it difficult to obtain the notes.

I read a lot of those news articles you spoke of yesterday - its amazing and like you said I do feel that a "!!!! show" is in the making here.

I also am in no rush and I am sitting here with everything crossed hoping that something develops and some kind of interim solution other than having to go to local authorities happens so that we can get our building works signed off legally without much of a fuss.

I did see on twitter that someone said that they managed to get through to their surveyor and he said they are hoping to resolve the insurance issue within 48 hours. make of that what you will...

Farked · 28 June 2019 at 6:39PM

Same situation for all of us - uncontactable. Astonishing that Aedis put something on their website on 10th June and it took until this week 26th to send an email. Makes me wonder if they did this deliberately to prevent people calling and have time to become unavailable.
If they do go under they are a regulated firm under CICAIR so I don't think their records can be lost and will have to be made available. I hope and assume.

myk33 - how did you get your notes please?

It is possible they will regain their insurance but it seems we are stuck - if we do a reversion application with the local council they will want notes, but if we wait a bit it is not technically legal as the works aren't registered properly. Can't win here. Interesting though I went to the planning portal to see if their is any news - guess who their "featured" building control is? This is good in one way as it means that if LA building control gives anyone a hard time they might have to explain why their opinion is different (if anyone has to dig holes) to what was the top recommended building inspector on the planning portal. Maybe I am hoping too much.

Regarding insurance renewal in 48 hours - my understanding is that the insurer wasn't prepared to underwrite such a large company as Aedis. How does that make sense? Surely the smaller companies are the biggest risk?

theGrinch · 29 June 2019 at 7:58AM

@ Farked What stage are you at?

Aedis have made a bad situation worse by being non-contactable and they are 100% responsible for that.

The 2-week delay in emailing customers was likely a ploy to prepare to go underground. Meanwhile, the 48-hour stuff is poppcock; probably circulated by Aedis themselves.

It is possible they will regain insurance, but there are likely to be delays even if they do.

While technically we are in breach, I will finish (as I am at final inspection stage) and then wait for some clarity as the dust settles.

I will not make a regularisation application at this stage.

@ myk33 and @ Farked - will you apply or wait?

Let's see if anyone else is affect and replies.

myk33 · 29 June 2019 at 11:25AM

Sorry for the confusion, I have not got my notes.

@thegrinch - I will do the same as you.

I have had a quote from the council for them to take on the works which is cheaper than I thought it would be however very nervy with the not knowing side of things.

Interesting to know how long we can legally leave it or if on paper we are doing something against the law by letting the dust settle and see.

Like you I feel its a good idea not to jump the gun and see if something does develop.

Farked · 29 June 2019 at 8:24PM

I was just finishing up the list of stuff they gave me to do final sign off. They told me in mid May call us in a month - assuming that's how long it was going to take. Completely screwed me by listening to them.

Technically I think we need to let council know BUT if by any miracle Aedis get their insurance and we have gone to council then we can't go back. I tried to avoid the council for the simple reason my friends/architect told me that no hole was deep enough, no steel strong enough....so go private inspector.

Council weren't too fussed when I spoke to them and just said "so long as we have their notes" you should be fine. Problem is we need to GET these notes and Aedis uncontactable - like you said gone underground. Problem is I am not convinced they are still functioning. Interestingly I can't get through to even the third party complaints people they've suggested on their website. Might be a case of contact CICAIR and find out what their obligations are. Right now cost of using council not my biggest concern - its council not having notes and telling me to dig and uncover walls.

theGrinch · 30 June 2019 at 9:09AM

Similarly, my council understood the exceptional circumstances and that it was sensible to try and obtain my notes before applying.

In that case its contacting CICAIR.

Are there any social media groups for people in the same predictment?

theGrinch · 30 June 2019 at 9:11AM

myk33 wrote: »

Sorry for the confusion, I have not got my notes.

Interesting to know how long we can legally leave it or if on paper we are doing something against the law by letting the dust settle and see.

I am going to give it a month from being made aware so 25 July

Farked · 30 June 2019 at 11:42AM

If you go on Twitter there is an Aedis feed and there does appear to be someone responding to the others in our predicament saying how busy they are. Maybe its the one employee still working there? I agree it could be their phone lines are saturated and coming across to us as uncontactable...but, there is such a system as a phone queue to tell us we are 435th in the queue. And maybe they need to invest in it fast.

If anyone gets through to CICAIR pls let us know what they say.

Aedis Building Inspectors unreachable

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