Difficult vendor

[donttrythisathome]

Hi
I was wondering if anyone has any advice about a difficult vendor please - in relation to a refusal to provide evidence/confirmation about alterations to the property.

Here is what our solicitor said
We know there is planning permission for extension carried out in 1976 and a dormer extension in 1979 ? however our Local Authority search does not search back in their records this far when providing replies to our Local Authority search. As such I am unable to advise you if this alterations were carried out with the benefit of building regulation consent and signed off. The sellers solicitor will not agree to write off to the Council and ask. Do you wish me to insist this is done? The alternative (the former is preferable) is to check with your surveyor the alterations are sound and see if the seller will pay for an indemnity policy which insures against any likelihood of enforcement action by the Council (which is pretty unlikely given the lapse of time). When speaking to your surveyor I would advise you to also discuss the removal of the two internal walls which the seller tells us were removed before their ownership (13 years ago) ? they are unable to confirm if they were load-bearing or not which concerns me so you should speak to your surveyor about such

I feel this is very fishy, and that we should not have to engage a surveyor again (we already had a full house survey for the mortgage, which advised we get consents/confirmation for those issues).

Surely it is her responsibility to provide satisfactory proof/confirmation.

We do really want the house especially as we've forked out a lot of money already on the survey etc but...

What would you do?

I made a call to the council's building control dep't myself, donttry. (Obviously not giving the address - I felt this is their call, since it's their house). It is possible for a new purchaser to apply for retrospective BR - there's a fee around £500, and then you have to factor in the possible costs of works to put right anything that might need putting right... So as I see it, if the vendors aren't prepared to do this themselves, I have to factor those costs in to any offer I make them.

Last, the thing that bothers me is finding out that buildings insurance does not cover any structure that doesn't have BR. If anything went wrong with the conservatory - and because it's built on a slope, subsidence feels like a possibility - then there's no cover. None for rebuilding the conservatory. None for any damage it did to rest of the house as it fell down. None for any damage it might to do the other part of the semi. I must be much more risk-averse than the current owners, because I don't know how they sleep at night, under these circs...

It's a lot of hassle isn't it flow. I'm really reluctant to spend more money on this house with a view to trying to get the vendor to reduce the price though, as she is really not a reasonable sort and has no real reason to sell the house to us i.e. no chain/big mortgage to cover etc. Our offer was accepted in Feb, and despite no chain on both sides she has been dragging her heels since then e.g. only instructing a solicitor a few weeks ago.

Well your vendor bought the place without all the paperwork you're insisting on - and it didn't fall to pieces. She probably took out insurance, hence why she declined to contact the council (it would invalidate it as it was pointed out.)

Surely you cant be this baffled by her attitude - if she took that risk when she purchased the property and didn't have issues, then she doesn't see it as a requirement and feels if you really want it, you can pay for it.

Honestly, her finances are none of your business and you're coming across as a difficult buyer.

I didn't think about that as the reason she wouldn't match the LA.Ypu're probably right on that.

I don't ink think just because someone else was willing to take a risk that we should do too. Don't see it as being difficult although it's interesting you think so as makes me see her perspective on this, and why thismight be entrenched so best to walk away.

Sorry iPad typos!
And yes her finances are not my concern but they are relevant to this as in all negotiations you have to assess the other person's position.