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Enquiries that vendor cannot answer.

T4taylor
T4taylor Posts: 93 Forumite
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in House buying, renting & selling
Hi folks,
3 months after 16 enquires were sent off by our solicitor we have still not had all of the responses. The last one we are awaiting is whether the conservatory required building regulations. The vendor has only lived in the property for 18 months and most of the enquiries relate to things before she owned the property e.g she guessed the conservatory was built in 2010. Therefore she does not know the answer to the questions and said when she bought the house as a cash buyer in August 2016, none of these issues were raised. Is it possible for solicitors to get in touch with previous vendors to find out or is this not how it works?
Many Thanks
«1

Comments

  • LandyAndy
    LandyAndy Posts: 26,377 Forumite
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    Conservatories are not covered by building regulations.
  • T4taylor
    T4taylor Posts: 93 Forumite
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    Seriously??? The latest email our solicitor has strung us along with reads, “I have received a letter from the Solicitors today in respect of the breached covenant however, still await confirmation as to whether the conservatory required building regulations.”
  • davidmcn
    davidmcn Posts: 23,596 Forumite
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    LandyAndy wrote: »
    Conservatories are not covered by building regulations.
    Except when they are (in particular, things like knocking through a new doorway into the conservatory would make regulations relevant).

    Though tbh I wouldn't rely on answers given by the seller (or their predecessors - and no, you don't go trying to find them!). Any buyer (and their solicitor/surveyor) should really be working out the answer themselves. And then figuring out what to do about the lack of paperwork.
  • ReadingTim
    ReadingTim Posts: 3,970 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    You could ask. She could agree to try, or not agree to try. Even if she tried, she may not have any success. Then what? It is entirely possible that the question may never be answered, and the box remain un-ticked.

    Ultimately it is up to you to decide whether you want to proceed or not - in this case honestly assess the risk that the structure will fall down, or the council will order it be knocked down. The existence (or otherwise) of a piece of paper may lessen the likelihood of this happening, but won't guarantee it.
  • Rambosmum
    Rambosmum Posts: 2,445 Forumite
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    Most people just accept an indemnity policy against such things. They aren't worth the paper they are written on but seem to satisfy solicitors.

    A vendor may well not know lots of answers to questions, you need to either accpt this, or buy a new build!
  • elsien
    elsien Posts: 32,732 Forumite
    Name Dropper Photogenic First Anniversary First Post
    Could building regs not give you the answer if the vendor isn't sure?
    All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.

    Pedant alert - it's could have, not could of.
  • LandyAndy
    LandyAndy Posts: 26,377 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post
    elsien wrote: »
    Could building regs not give you the answer if the vendor isn't sure?
    Any enquiry directed to Building Control would invalidate an indemnity policy.
  • T4taylor
    T4taylor Posts: 93 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post Combo Breaker First Anniversary
    Thank you for all of your responses. In which case, how can I hurry my solicitor along to accept that a response to this enquiry won!!!8217;t be coming and get her to just send the report on those she does have.
  • Smodlet
    Smodlet Posts: 6,976 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    I'd be more concerned about the breached covenant, depending on what it is.
  • T4taylor
    T4taylor Posts: 93 Forumite
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    Smodlet it is about the fact no outhouses could be built - this was stipulated in 1974 and the conservatory breached this.
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