Does anyone know about house surveys?

[Feathered]

Morning x
I'll try and be brief! I'm getting divorced - husband is an architect (and a scary narcissist) He wants me to have the house as my part of the settlement. Problem is - he's done all the design work on it and it has a MASSIVE mortgage. The building work was never signed off - partly because he's a bully and made the builders do things that were a 'grey area' legally. Some things are completely illegal. Is there a way I can get the building checked over to find out if I am in for nasty surprises ; I'm going to need to sell it ASAP, but lawyer says AFTER the divorce. Would I be shooting myself in the foot if they uncover dodgy stuff? What surveys should I get . . . or does anyone know where I can get information on how to tackle this. My lawyer seems to think i should just take the property.

I would speak to a local surveyor and make sure it's is someone you can go back to with queries. A full structural survey would be £750-1000 and would give you the peace of mind and the full disclosure you require

Interesting that your architect ex DH is so keen to foist his little project off onto you. I’m sure he knows what’s struggles you’re likely to come up against and he’s doing it on purpose to make your life as hard as possible.

Approach with extreme caution. A chartered surveyor for a building survey might then refer you onto a structural engineer, might also be worth getting some advice from an actual conveyancing solicitor rather than a divorce solicitor too.

Maybe a condition of this divorce settlement needs to be that building inspectors come in and retrospectively approve the works.

You can get an independent building inspector rather than waiting for the council one too.

If you came to sell without the work approved you’d be needing to get indemnity covers left, right and centre for things that haven’t been approved,

What sort of grey area/illegal things are we talking about?

Is it structurally unsafe? Or it doesn't have planning and you could be asked to tear it down at your expense?

Sorry, I’m back again. I’m just flabbergasted at the absolute audacity of this man to try and force his project onto you, when clearly with his professional experience he’s surely the most logical recipient of this part of the marital assets.

There’s a massive glaring reason he wants you to have the house, what would he be getting in his part if you take the house? Would it be cash? Savings?

Oh and be careful who you contact because if the house is likely to need indemnity insurance for a sale then you cannot have discussed any of the issues with the council beforehand...

Thanks everyone. There are a few things I know about. He installed a floating wood burner . The chimney goes through the whole house and its positioning doesn't comply with regs. The wood burner itself is illegal - it's American and doesn't comply to UK regulations. Fire safety issue on all levels. He's taken down lots of walls and reconfigured the whole building - Its grade 2 listed. Everything looks amazing - but its style over substance.

In addition I wasn't allowed to choose anything, so the house is a big monument to him. The whole house is a trauma trigger.

On his part he gets his business (which he's massively undervalued and hidden assets) and a house in USA. I have a lawyer and a financial investigator on the case. It's a nightmare.

He's a shit. With a MASSIVE ego.

I want to get it checked out but I'm worried about the concerns over who I speak to, like @HelpMeh said - I don't want to cause problems because I need and want to sell.

Oh - I should add that this is his plan as to how things get separated . . . not mine.

Sounds dodgy as a listed building you are liable to make good (using original materials and methods) any alterations done without approval.

"A listed building may not be demolished, extended, or altered without special permission from the local planning authority, which typically consults the relevant central government agency, particularly for significant alterations to the more notable listed buildings. In England and Wales, a national amenity society must be notified of any work to a listed building which involves any element of demolition."

I suggested you seek professional advice before you become the legal owner of property grenade!

I think he knows he's in the sh#t and is being "kind" giving you the house!

Having building work with no sign off is bad enough. Altering a listed building without consent is even worse (I think it's actually criminal?). It will be a conveyancing nightmare - DO NOT let this become a problem for you alone.

If you find a way to lumber him with the house then you also need it valued on the basis of all that is wrong with it.

I never understand supposedly professional people who tamper with their own houses in ways they'd never do whilst on the clock...

No way would I take this on, the house might be worthless once you've put it back to how it should have been.

Before a sale you will also need certificates of compliance from the regulatory professional bodies if certain alterations have been done or a sign off from the council building control inspector.

Fires, stoves and chimneys - HETAS
Window renewals - FENSA
Gas appliances - Gas Safe or Corgi
Electrical alteration , rewire - NICEIC or NAPIT.

Highly recommend getting advice from a solicitor- definitely before contacting building control!!

I would be very careful here. Why can’t he have the house in the divorce settlement and you have the equivalent from another source?

@Feathered

Oh - I should add that this is his plan as to how things get separated . . . not mine.

Just say no, you don't want it. Then you pick what you do want, or make it be sold before the divorce and split the proceeds.

All assets bundled together and valued then house sold before split. I wouldn’t be taking on this liability.

No way.