Having a nightmare with a house purchase. Got within a few days of exchange and completion to discover the seller hadn't answered the 'has it been extended/altered question' at all.
Solicitor hadn't picked this up (one of many things we're not happy about from them) but that's another story.
The property absolutely has been - and within the last 8 years (using comparison pictures from Googlemaps vs the listings). To us, it looks very new.
Current seller is a developer who has had it for just over 12 months, and has done a fair bit of work. He initially claimed that 'he knew nothing about it' until we pulled out, and then it was all 'what would they need to proceed'.
Survey didn't pick up anything, but they openly state they assume all relevant controls are in place. There's a building control cert for the install of the boiler in 2021, but nothing for any of the work on the extension. It would have been permitted development, we think - single story extension where a previous outhouse was, so no planning permission, but surely it should still have had the building control?
We know it's possible to indemnify the legal side of things, but can we do the same for the structural? Seller has agreed to cover costs of 'fixing the issue' but can we insure, or should we be making him get retrospective sign off?
I ask, because we're right up against it with our mortgage offer (hence why we're fuming at the foot dragging solicitors not picking this up when they got the form weeks ago, and not sending it over so we could!) We've asked for an extension, but broker isn't confident it'll be granted in this market, and I'll walk away rather than lose the rate.
We don't need to move, and we will pull out if it comes to it but if it's possible to save the purchase, we'd like to. It's a perfect house in a lovely part of our town, and there's not likely to be a similar one for a while.