Planning / Paperwork for selling a House?

[buckaroo]

I would like to ask with regards paperwork needed when selling a house?

I hope this is the correct forum as we have just had two major extensions to our property (front and back) and would like to know the paperwork needed as they are coming to completion, with regards electrics (new box put in), Septic tank (new one to replace the old one), building regulations.. and anything else that would potentially hold up a house sale should we decide to move in a few years.

In order to sell this property, we would just like in place all the paperwork needed so we can safely store it after major renovation work, with regards certificates/paperwork etc. Thanks.

 

[^woody^]

Everything is held at the council.

You don't need bits of paper and any paper would be meaningless to a buyer as it is what is held at the council that matters.

 

[buckaroo]

Ok thanks, but I meant things like Electrics certificates on things done inside the house, more than land registry etc.

Is there anything we need for works we've had carried out privately within our extensions?

 

[rjm2k]

Everything is held at the council.

You don't need bits of paper and any paper would be meaningless to a buyer as it is what is held at the council that matters.

That's a bit of an over simplification, there are many examples of people who haven't been provided with the necessary electrical/gas/building regs/planning certificates and end up in limbo when trying to sell. I would always want a copy of any certificates as it allows you to immediately provide the info to a buyers solicitor should you sell (obviously they will double check with the council but it gives you piece of mind that any big stuff is already covered).

OP was the work done after applying for PP or just under PD? How are BR being dealt with? If there was electrical work, was it to be certified by BR or the electrician? Was there any gas work?

 

[buckaroo]

Everything is held at the council.

You don't need bits of paper and any paper would be meaningless to a buyer as it is what is held at the council that matters.

That's a bit of an over simplification, there are many examples of people who haven't been provided with the necessary electrical/gas/building regs/planning certificates and end up in limbo when trying to sell. I would always want a copy of any certificates as it allows you to immediately provide the info to a buyers solicitor should you sell (obviously they will double check with the council but it gives you piece of mind that any big stuff is already covered).

OP was the work done after applying for PP or just under PD? How are BR being dealt with? If there was electrical work, was it to be certified by BR or the electrician? Was there any gas work?

Exactly, hence my original post.

No gas work as we use Calor gas bottles just for our oven top.
We had all the electrics for the house rewired, installing a new septic tank to the soakaway (shared)

Im not sure what PP PD BR?

 

[rjm2k]

Planning Permission, Permitted Development, Building Regs

The electrical work will have either been done as part of the Building Regs for the extension or (since it's a full rewire) more likely separate. If it was done under building regs the council will inspect and issue a certificate. If it was done by someone who can self certify, they will do so under their scheme and the council/you will receive the certificate. To get more detail re the electrics you are better off searching/asking on the electricians forum.

If you did the work under PD you can ask for a certificate of lawful development (I believe), or if under PP you have the original Permission detail and I think they sign off completion at the end, same with BR

I'm not an expert on any of this. Your local council website should tell you what you need/get at the different stages, though someone who knows more specifics may respond here.

 

[^woody^]

Certificates are meaningless.

I can print you off some certificates, and if anyone offers them to me on a survey, I decline as they don't mean a thing.

All the records are held at the council and those are what matter. If there are no records, then a certificate does not legitimise the work, and the assumption is that work has no approval

Electric work is also recorded at the council, even when self certified

 

[rjm2k]

Certificates are meaningless.

try telling a buyers solicitor that if you don't have one

Electric work is also recorded at the council, even when self certified

Assuming the person who is supposed to self certify is actually qualified to and actually does so.

There are plenty of examples on the sparky forum where people have assumed or been told that a subbie sparky is able to and will self certify but it turns out they aren't and don't. The owner has no clue that anything is wrong until a potential buyers solicitor says where's the certificate for this work that was done and it dawns on the owner that they never got one and they assumed the council would have it. They are left in a position where if they are lucky, the buyer will accept an inspection certificate (at the owners cost) and if not they can expect a large bill for asking the council to retrospectively inspect and test the installation (sometimes involving damage to the property to get to wiring).

 

[^woody^]

try telling a buyers solicitor that if you don't have one

Try telling the Solicitor that he is negligent if he fails to check any of the statutory registers, and instead accepts and relies on a paper document of unconfirmed or unknown origin

Assuming the person who is supposed to self certify is actually qualified to and actually does so.

I don't know what this has to do with the OP's question.

If the work is not certified, and done by a person not able to self certify or in other ways does not comply with any regulations, then it is unauthorised work and completely different thing and there will never be any "paperwork" for it

A bit of paper off an electrician is meaningless unless he actually registers the work with the council

 

[soflo]

We just went through this with a house sale. The previous people that owned the house had done an extension, and I only had certain parts of the paperwork. My buyers mortgage company requested building regs sign off from a ground floor opening - based on the surveyor just noting there was a door way in an old external wall. I only had certain parts of the paperwork, and we got to the stage where my buyer wanted to come in and chip all the plaster off to check there was a steel above this doorway before proceeding. I refused, the mortgage company signed off in the end, and the sale went ahead. However its certainly made me very nervous to ensure like you, you have all the right paperwork in the right place. It was the 3rd time we'd got to almost selling & moving but the only time this was brought up. So it will really depend how picky your potential buyers mortgage company/solicitors are.

If you've had electrical work done, you'd either need a Part P electricians certificate or a building regs certificate I believe. You'd need building regs sign off on your extension work - and all structural work must match what was signed off in my experience! Any boiler /heating installation Gas Safe cerficates too, Fensa certificates from window installations - or building regs for that if they weren't fitted by Fensa approved installers.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Remember that ^woody^ lives on planet ^woody^.

 

[rjm2k]

We just went through this with a house sale. The previous people that owned the house had done an extension, and I only had certain parts of the paperwork. My buyers mortgage company requested building regs sign off from a ground floor opening - based on the surveyor just noting there was a door way in an old external wall. I only had certain parts of the paperwork, and we got to the stage where my buyer wanted to come in and chip all the plaster off to check there was a steel above this doorway before proceeding. I refused, the mortgage company signed off in the end, and the sale went ahead. However its certainly made me very nervous to ensure like you, you have all the right paperwork in the right place. It was the 3rd time we'd got to almost selling & moving but the only time this was brought up. So it will really depend how picky your potential buyers mortgage company/solicitors are.

If you've had electrical work done, you'd either need a Part P electricians certificate or a building regs certificate I believe. You'd need building regs sign off on your extension work - and all structural work must match what was signed off in my experience! Any boiler /heating installation Gas Safe cerficates too, Fensa certificates from window installations - or building regs for that if they weren't fitted by Fensa approved installers.

Didn't the council "just have it all"? Like Woody's?

 

[soflo]

rjm2k I had most of the paperwork - didn't request anything from council, though I'm sure they hold some items.

 

[^woody^]

Remember that ^woody^ lives on planet ^woody^.

Yes, and you wont get past border control

 

[buckaroo]

Thanks for your help on this as thought this might be the case hence my original post..

So it looks like I might need a Part P Electrics, Building Regs, and Fensa Certificates for Windows?

I just dont want to get caught out at the late stage of selling and it happen like you explained and it hold up anything in years to come long after we've forgotten about our extension!


Thanks