Building Regs Certificate

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We're having patio doors put in where there are currently two small windows at the back of the house (Edwardian era). The builder isn't FENSA registered, so I think we'd need a separate building regs certificate if we wanted to sell, which he has advised to get. He is a well-respected builder in the local area. We have no plans to sell, is it a huge mistake to not pay the extra to get the certificate? We're on a really tight budget. TIA.

In a word, yes.

Conveyancing is becoming more of a paper trail rather than less, I would expect to see a certificate for this sort of work, as would a solicitor acting for a buyer, even if at the point of sale the work had been done 20 years ago.

Thank you very much for your reply Mildura. If our circumstances changed and we were to sell, would indemnity insurance for the buyers be a possible solution for our lack of certificate? Or is it not that straightforward?

Lack of building regulations insurance protects you against enforcement action taken by the local authority.

It doesn't provide any assurances to a buyer that the work was done correctly.

However, the longer that goes by the less a buyer should be worried. If the work is 20 years old it's likely to be obvious if anything is wrong, if there's only been 2 years it might be harder to convince a buyer all is well, and justify why a certificate was not obtained.

Mildura that is very helpful indeed, thank you very much for explaining it.

Most people won’t be worried by lack of indemnity for doors/windows. An indemnity costs about £10 then maybe £30 for the solicitors fee to process it. We just sold without one and the house we bought didn’t have one. It becomes an issue when the works are more expensive.

Also you can always get retrospective consent if you do sell.

Sorry not lack of indemnity, lack of Fensa.

Thank you rockyroad9, that is reassuring to know about your sale/purchase. If we sold it would be (all going to plan), in a very long time, so hopefully that would be in our favour too, as Mildura mentioned.

We've just sold without a FENSA cert and the buyers solicitor didn't even ask for indemnity insurgence

That is also really useful to know, thank you vickyc90

I thought a FENSA certificate was required by law for all windows and doors fitted after 2005. Is that not a legal requirement then? Handy to know if it isn't.

@Starseeking

I thought a FENSA certificate was required by law for all windows and doors fitted after 2005. Is that not a legal requirement then? Handy to know if it isn't.

It's is if you want to move but you can take indemnity insurance in our case either the buyer doesn't care or solicitor has missed it

I see, thanks @vickyc90!