Owning your own home

Based on your other posts you haven't found anywhere to buy yet? Or are you breaking your chain to sell?

Surprised they didn't ask for an extension, they must have known their offer was expiring.

You're probably aware but this only covers you in the event of the council (I think) requiring that you reverse the building works.

It doesn't do anything to protect you if turns out that the works are shit and need to be redone or your house falls down.

It may also impact on your insurance if it turns out that one of those things causes a problem and you were aware that it may not be up to code so it's worth checking that.

Correct - we are moving into rental. Had a place lined up from a friend - but plan now in tatters.

You would think so! I can't deal with this level of incompetence.

Ah man that really sucks. Hopefully their bank will allow an extension rather than a new application.

That happened to us a few times when buying a flat years ago (our offer expired). Conveyancing took so long because of the owner and I think we were on our third mortgage offer by the time we exchanged. Luckily for us the rates went down.

When the owner was eventually ready to sell our most recent offer had expired so we had to wait for a new one. He suddenly decided that he was in a hurry and started threatening all sorts of crap but we told him to do one and wait two weeks.

As others have said it’s not uncommon and is a “passage of time” issue. They just need to get it re-done asap

@TW @Howard @aggi, thanks your responses.

Yep, I know the indemnity doesn't cover me for unsafe/inappropriate work, I guess this is a risk I'll have to weigh up, and as Howard says may be a good opportunity to knock some money off for the potential remedial costs.

I've now spoken with my solicitor, who quite rightly seemed surprised (and maybe embarrassed that it was me who had to bring it to his attention - surely this is something they should have checked for?!) He's gone back with the following;

Further to the above matter, we attach details of an application that your client has made this year for retrospective Building Regulation consent.

1. Please provide full details and a copy of the application.
   
2. Why was the application withdrawn?
   
3. Why did your client confirm that the alterations took place in 2005 when it is clear that the chimney breast was removed in 2020?
   
4. Why was the application not disclosed in 3.1 of the property information form and details of the works not disclosed in 4.1 of the property information form?
   
5. Have details of the application been disclosed to the insurers when requesting the draft policy? Please provide a copy of your correspondence with the insurers when requesting the indemnity policy.
   
6. You will of course note that the policy is conditional on works being completed at least 12 months ago and that no application has been made to obtain retrospective consent. We await your comments.
   
   

So I guess we wait and see what they come back with and go from there - although my guess it'll be something along the lines of "sorry guv we made a mistake".

I would certainly get the chimney breast removal checked out by a competent builder or structural engineer, have they removed it all the way up or just from one floor?

I may suggest the seller gets a structural engineer to check this, and if they don't want to then I may ask for some money of so I can get this done if/once we complete...

Attached is from our survey, and I asked them what they thought about the work, and although fairly non committal thought it was probably ok, there were no signs to suggest otherwise.

As you can see, it's the first floor bedroom and only removed from the floor to where you can see in the photo.

1 Attachment

Looks like a shit job, did your surveyor access the loft?

They are just boxed in gallows brackets.

If you are really worried about the integrity of the job you'll need to do two things. First knock on your neighbours door and see if they have their chimney on the othersideof the wall. If they don't then that is a problem as gallows brackets rely on the neighbours retaining their chimney

The second is to unbox the brackets and check they've been installed properly, with a proper beam in-between the brackets, and well rammed concrete to secure the brackets with no movement, in addition to them being properly bolted to the brickwork

I may suggest the seller gets a structural engineer to check this

Can you trust the seller at this stage? Any report would be for them, not you.

although fairly non committal

That's surveyors for you

You’ll have to unpick that mess or live with it. If you really want the place get your own structural engineers report then go from there. Will probably need some invasive analysis though which the sellers will not be stoked about in which case price drop that roughly pays for getting it done properly and all the stress of doing so.

Talking of chimneys, mine needs some pointing, can probably wait until the spring. Was going to get cowls added too stop rain getting in, but should I just get it capped given that I'm unlikely to ever use a conventional fireplace? I have a bioethanol smokeless fireplace. Seems like a shame to lose the chimney pots, but they are completely redundant. Doing it because I can hear big chunks falling off the inside when it rains heavily, hopefully just old soot accumulation not brickwork!

Talking of chimneys, mine needs some pointing, can probably wait until the spring. Was going to get cowls added too stop rain getting in, but should I just get it capped given that I'm unlikely to ever use a conventional fireplace?

Literally in the same boat. Fireplace is a storage for brompton and I dont want it to get wet. We will also convert the loft at some point so I was thinking of 'capping' them then and just do maintenance work.

A roofer gave me a quote of £2.7k incl scaffolding. Is that too much?

If I delay do I risk further damage to property?

Is that price repointing and capping? (No advice just would like to know ballpark as well)
Same needs here - wondering what I can co-ordinate to do at once... Side needs: repointing, SVP replacement, roof patching. Front needs: chimney repointing (not really at the front but probably easiest way to access it), and aspirationally re-rendering with external insulation.

With the opening of chimney pot being as small as it is I doubt it's going to do damage very quickly, maybe a bit of damp over time. No idea if that's a good price, it's more than I was hoping, but that's partly why I'm putting off just getting some quotes. Assuming that's London pricing too. I'd be fairly happy to have a bash at DIY but operating an angle grinder at height doesn't sound like a good life choice.

Just stick a chimsock in it. Then let it get a battering until you convert the loft - you can fix it all up or remove it completely then when you have a proper scaffold.

Assuming you have no evidence to suggest it’s in dangerously poor condition already.

Nope just repointing (I think). Capping is removing the column right? I said no to that (for now).

I was thinking about getting the gutters done too while scaffolding is up, clean/maintain/replace if needed.

I had cowls supplied and fitted for £85 each if that makes your decision easier. No scaffolding needed, just big ladders and brave men

Get a quote from Neil Fox from Fox Contracts. He's just off Sangley I think. Did an amazing job of a flat lead roof for us. He redid our gutters as well.

ta! I will, this was someone recommended on Corbett group as well.

I have no benchmark or idea of these costs but I have ordered the chimney balloon @Howard

Scaffolding is remarkably disruptive and can be very expensive compared to the cost of the actual work if you are just doing minor reporting repairs. Clearing and fixing gutters can be done with a ladder.

Don’t get scaffold unless you have serious repairs to be done.