The issues continue! Newly built property in 2004 but no completion certificate. Would you buy?

[ErlingHaalandsManBun]

So the property we are buying, we found out recently through searches that there is a moderate to high risk of natural subsidence.

Now today, we have found out from our conveyancer that although planning and build was approved by the council that no completion certificate is available.

This is not a developer, but the vendors pulled down a chalet type bungalow and replaced it with a brick built property.

I am not sure building regs was a thing when this was built but in 2004 but it makes us very nervous buying a house that we have no idea about. The plans for it are not available on the council website, just the application details and there is no information about who built it.

For all we know it could have been constructed by My Blobby and multiple corners and safety standards could have been cut. So really speaking we would have no idea if what we are buying is safe and built well. With it being built on that kind of ground it would be vitally important the foundations are solid.

What would you do? Has anyone experienced such a thing?

If it was a small extension or removing walls that would be one thing but its the whole house! 😬

I would not touch it personally.

Has it been bought and sold before? Have people been able to get insurance/mortgages?

Ask for some kind of Retrospective building regs certficate /full structual survey they pay for to confirm.it up to building regs or leave it

Building regulations in the United Kingdom - Wikipedia share.google/mbG7lwJWccoGnuqFc

Without the completion certificate it will be un-mortgageable

Nope. Unless the discount is big enough to cover the issues and you don't need a mortgage. Even then, you would have issues selling it on...

No, this is the first time it is being sold since it was built in 2004.

I had a feeling that might be the case. Apparently our solicitor will need to inform our mortgage lender if there is no certificate. I have a feeling they will not lend based on this.

Walk away. Actually, run.
No way I'd buy it.

Yes building regs was definitely a thing in 2004
They should have it and
i wouldn't touch that property with a barge pole

I wouldn’t trust a retrospective for a whole property either. There’s no way building control will be able to check everything. With the potential subsidence issues Theyd need to dig up inspection holes to all the foundations and could still miss something.

With a very heavy heart that is exactly my instinct. 😞

Thanks.

This is my instinct also. Once we own it any issues become ours but a PP has mentioned that our mortgage company may not lend anyway without one. So it may well even be out of our hands.

Even if yours does now, what happens when you come to sell? How easy will it be for your buyer to get a mortgage? How many potential buyers will walk away or ask for a reduction?

best walking away before spending too much time and energy on it

Big no from me as well.

It's a walk away from me too :/

Would you like to borrow my bargepole, so you can use it to not touch this house with?!

What @cestlavielife said.

If it is structurally sound and the Council are prepared to issue retrospective consent I would buy it. I would expect the seller to pay for this though.

It may take a while so not sure if time would be an issue?

Hmmm, yes, could be something we put to them to see if they would do this. Will suggest this to our solicitor when we hear back from them this week and see what their thoughts are. Thanks.

We didn’t have a completion certificate for our extension but we did have planning permission and the council was involved in monitoring the building work. Everything was done by the book but we just didn’t bother with the actual completion certificate (a mistake of course). When it came to sell we contacted the council, explained it and asked them to come and review the work and issue the certificate. The work was done 7 years prior. We had to get an electrician in to give us an up to date electrical certificate because the old one had expired and then the council signed it all off after a visit to the property. It’s possible to do but only if the property was done as per the building regulations. I would be concerned not only that yours doesn’t have the certificate but also that building regs weren’t followed and planning permission was not obtained. Much bigger problems than the actual final certificate in my opinion.

I think they could apply for a regularisation certificate…something for them to look into. They will need to do something as this issue will come up with any future buyer. Unless they go with a cash buyer that isn’t bothered about building safety.