How thorough are property searches?

[springlilac]

A family member is selling their house - grade 2 listed cottage which they have owned for 15 years and have done a lot of work on.

Trouble is they haven't applied for the relevant permissions for a lot of the work eg they knocked through into their attached garage and installed a wine cellar in the kitchen floor.

Property is on the market and they are ignoring the fact that there is no listed building permission, planning permission or building regs in place for the works.

Are these likely to be picked up on searches or is there a chance they will get away with it? We have tried to tell them but all they come back with is that the works were done over 11 years ago and the council can't touch them. I thought there was no time limit with listed buildings or have I got that wrong?

I know it's not really any of my business but I'm curious.

Bumping?

It's not the searches that are relevant. They are to make sure no one is planning a motorway route through the property and things like that. But the buyer's solicitors will make enquiries that will cover things like alterations to the property and permissions. So it will come out.

The buyers surveyor will note all these alterations snd will say in their report that building regs are required for x, y , z so be sure to get solicitor on it. And their solicitor will look at the plans and the local search will turn up that there were no previous applications or building regs completion certificates or listed building consents. So yes, unless they find a buyer who decides against a survey, isn't getting a mortgage on it and has a solicitor who is completely incompetent then afraid all these issues will eventually need to be addressed.