Back in '99 I applied ffor planning permision for a single storey extension, garage replacement and storm porch. This was duly granted and in May 2000 the BCO made his first visit to site. It was just after this visit that I hit a few problems with Thames water which caused a redesign and delay to the next BCO visit in September. Subsequent visits were as would be expected in line with such a project.
Fast forward to July 24th 2008 and a survey is being done on the house in preparation for a sale which has been pending since March!! I show the surveyor all the paeprwork,; planning apporval notice, correspondance from Thames water, sgigned Party wall doceument etc.and he asks for the completion certificate. No problem says I, blissfully unaware that no final inspection has ever taken place and that no certificate has been issued.
Having discovered the lack of certificate, the surveyor was very helpful & suggested that I obtain a legal indemnity policy which is the normal accepted route for this kind of problem. This was done & problerm solved as far as I was concerned. Wrong! My buyer does not require a mortgage to fund the purchase of the property and has been adivised that such a policy will not provide her wirth the cover she needs. Does any one know if this is correct?
In the meantime I've approached building control & they have been as helpful as a chocolate fireguard! They have no intentionof visiting the property (although this is at the discretion of the surveyor assigned to the job) citing that it is a number of years since the works commenced. They have indicated that they will proviode a letter to the solicitors detainiling all the visits that were made and will include a copy of the planning approval document, which has previoulsy satisfied some solicitors. Would this paperwork, if accepted by the buyers solicitor then be accepetd by subsequent solicitor or will any future seller of theis property have the same headache I am facing now? Finally, what are my options in trying to obtain a certificate? I've thought about private cerification but am doubtful this is a realistic option, I'm prepared tp pay an additional fee if necessary, but no mention has been made as this being available through the Building Control Office. I've even had an independant building control officer speak to the LA in the hope that' professional to professional' might help & that got me nowhere and raised a few more issues that have never been mentioned to me or the builder!!
The builder is adamant that he called the LA & notified them that works were complete. The LA has no record of this & we cannot prove the call being made. At the time the works were in progress and up until very recently, I had no idea about the role of building control and as many do, relied on the builder to fulfil his part as he is the 'professional ' that I engaged to build the designs submitted by the architect and approved by the planning department.
If anyone could help I'd be very grateful indeed.