Advice re Building Control and possible house purchase

[bathsh3ba]

We're negotiating on a house we want to buy. Our last offer was rejected but we've been told the house is ours if we pay an extra £5k.

We're still debating if it's worth it but something I'm worried about is the loft conversion. It was done in 2000. I've checked Building Control on the local council website and it said it was 'conditionally approved'. Is this a red flag, should it have been unconditionally approved?

I'm nervous about fire risk as we previously rented a house where there was a fire in a loft conversion and my daughter would be sleeping in this room.

Advice from anyone with more Building Control knowledge than me would be much appreciated!

Can they not tell you what it means if you contact building control? It may be a standard thing they put in the records. Also, planning permission is often granted with conditions (which are a standard list of requirements). Might it be that (planning approval) you are looking at rather than building control approval?

I think it varies by local authority, but not all of them put up info relating to building regs - could it be planning permission you're looking at?

If it’s that long ago I wouldn’t be concerned

Are the windows in the loft big enough to get out in an emergency ? Is there a door to the loft bedroom and are all the doors certified for fire cant remember prooer term was a long time ago we looked into it.

Oops meant proper term. Doors on the 1st floor had to be able to stand fire for so long if you have a loft bedroom for safety.

Building Reg applications are not normally in Council websites. I think you are looking at the planning application. PP is usually subject to conditions.

Ask them exactly what they have and what they don't have.

Base your offer on that.

Your conveyancer will later weed out any lies or missing information.