Buying house with missing building regs

[VinoSchmeno]

A house we are buying has no building regs for an extension built in 2011. The vendors have told us they have a structural engineers report regarding the work and changes the building control people requested, but they don't have an actual certificate.

Our searches show that the extension was "approved conditionally". Does anyone know if that means that we could obtain the certificate from building control, or does that mean that the final inspection was never carried out?

We're happy that the extension is structurally sound (depending on getting a copy of the engineers report), but I'd be happier if we had the full certificate.

I don't want to contact the building control dept because the vendors have taken out indemnity insurance to cover this and a few other things, which I don't want to invalidate as I presume we may need that to satisfy the mortgage provider.

building regs certification can be applied for retrospectively. Generally they inspect during the job and after so may require that certain bits are uncovered for examination, but if the engineers report is there they may not do this. It very much depends on the type of extension. I think this is called regularisation. It costs more than general building regs but it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me (id want the vendor to get this, or knock that amount of money off the asking price or pay for it).

surely the fact that the vendor has taken out indemnity insurance covers you if there are any issues though?

Thanks for your reply. The indemnity insurance will only cover us against the building control people taking any action but as I understand it this is very unlikely. I also understand it as something mortgage providers want to see in situations like this, though I don't know yet if my mortgage requires it.

I'd rather have the full signoff on the extension and if we could easily do that by just asking for the certificate I would go ahead and ask - I'm just not clear on exactly what "approved conditionally" means - does it mean a further inspection was required before the certificate would have been granted?

It's not a deal breaker for us, we're going ahead with the purchase and we're not planning on ever moving from this house, I just would prefer to have this particular bit of paperwork.

You can enquire of the building control dept regarding this expression without giving the address. That is to say in our area I find the inspectors ready to help over the phone.