house sale

[cariehealy]

We added a loft conversion to our house in 2003 and subsequently applied for retro building regulations. We received a list of things to comply with, most of which we have completed but one or two things we have not. We now would like to sell our property. How easy will it be to sell without completing the building regulations?

[themas]

If any potential buyer has a halfway competent surveyor &/or solicitor you just won't be able to sell. Would you buy a house knowing a major change like that had been made without the necessary approvals?

[redcrx]

well someone may buy it but the cost is unlikely to take the extra space into consideration. so if you had a 3 bed house and its now used by you as a 4 bed, think 3 bed prices.

[Eve]

It's not something that could be covered by indemnity insurance as the faults are know about by the council so any policy would be invalidated.

What is left to be complied with, how significant is it (ie can the conversion be safely be used) and what would be the costs and timescales associated.

You could either get the works done before you sell or agree to get the works done pre-completion if you find a buyer.

There is also the option of getting the works done between exchange and completion.

Alternatively you could try to come so some arrangement with the buyers that you will give them a monetary allowance for the works still needed.

All options would need the buyer's co-operation.

If the buyers are getting a mortgage then this may complicate things.

Their lender will have a valuation done and more than likely recemmend the buyer's legal advisor to check that the necessary consents are in place.

If not then they may refuse to lend until the works are done or possible keep a retention (sum of monies witheld from the mortgage advance) for the works to be done.

The monies would not then be released until the works had been done and the lender is satisfied. They might want to reinspect and charge a fee for that and put a timescale on the buyers for the work being done.

As a retention may cause issues with the buyer's financing of the purchase then you paying the retention for the works over may assist as well as contributing any fee required for a reinspection.

[terambulan]

http://www.house-extension.co.uk/conversions/c onversions_planning.htm

may not need Planning consent

[Zax47]

As that link shows, planning consent is not always necessary but compliance with BUILDING REGULATIONS (as they said in their post) IS. The poster never mentions planning!!

What I don't understand is how any decent builder would have done such a conversion without complying with Building Regs and having the appropriate permission and inspections by the local building control dept. Or was it a dodgy, "board the loft & call it a room" DIY job, which is why you are having trouble now?

[buildersmate]

The two most significant issues you face are whether the joists of the upper storey were strengthened adequately to take the loading of the loft conversation, and satisfying the fire regulations requirement. Both of these would have been validated if Building Regs had been applied for.