Seller pushing for Indemnity Insurance on a new roof without Building Control Certificate...what would you do?

[BeattieandOscar]

Long time lurker, first-time poster here! I would really appreciate some advice on this...I'm buying a house for the first time and the house has been recently renovated within the past couple of years. The works have included an extension downstairs and the roof has been retiled.

All the work downstairs has been signed off by building control and planning permission. However, when we had a surveyor come round he mentioned that the roof requires a building control certificate as over 20% of it has been retiled. Plus, at the moment it wouldn't pass building control as it needs some small additions being made to it to make it compliant.

The sellers are pushing for indemnity insurance. But, we've pushed for regularisation for a whole host of reasons. Mainly because we'll probably go through the same thing with buyers when we sell (this is not our forever home and we'll probably be there for around 5-10 years) and we know that it's currently not up to building control and therefore what else could the roof be hiding that we'd have to put right.

What would you do in this situation? I'm worried I'm being totally unreasonable in asking for a regularisation, but the work to correct it seems small plus the sellers and myself aren't restricted by timings.

Thanks very much!

I am not knowledgeable enough to answer on technical details. Buying a house is such a huge amount of money that if you aren't happy, you should decide if it is worth it. Especially if it will cause you difficulty in selling relatively soon. Would insurance even be given for something that is knowingly not compliant?

What changes did the surveyor say are required?

our LA only check the insulation when it’s a reroof.

I’d insist on a regularisation. They don’t take long to organise.

An indemnity is not worth anything.

Where did 20% come from? It’s 50%.

I'd prefer regularisation.

I'd always worry about whether the seller had done a decent job. Or done a bodge / quick-fix..
Negotiate some money off and then do the regularisation yourself.

Thanks for your advice, everyone!

@Newhousecrying The surveyor said that it required roof vents to be installed for ventilation. We're hoping they get a builder in to see what else needs to be done to pass building reg, but if they don't we will and see how much it would cost.

Indemnity policies are quite common and in most cases I don't think its an issue as the work carried out is fine, just not signed off. What sticks out to me with this one is that the roof wouldn't pass building control as it currently is. I wouldn't be happy paying for something that would not pass building control.

I would go with building control sign off or walk away. The same issue will likely come up when you sell. There's a reason why they haven't done it - if it was easy/cheap/straightforward there would be no reason not to have already done it.