1980s house attic conversion

jood22

We are sale agreed on a house built in the ‘70s/early 80s with an attic conversion done sometime in the 1980s. Vendors are claiming they do not need a certificate of compliance. Is this true?

mickdw

There is compliance with planning and building regs.

For works prior to 1991, the building regs aspect won't apply.

Planning will and they should be providing up to date Certificate of Compliance with planning for the entire dwelling in my opinion and as well of certificate of Compliance with building regs for any improvement works after introduction of building regs such as window replacement for example if it had new windows.

The planning compliance cert should cover off the attic conversion interms of whether it is deemed exempt from planning or had planning and complies with that permission.

James 007

I'm not sure if they will give it to you. You may have to get your own surveyor/engineer to survey the house & obtain an Opinion of Compliance from him. It sounds as if you have sale agreed now without doing all the donkey work first regarding the paperwork etc.

wildwillow

You are only sale agreed. Don't proceed without the cert of compliance, your solicitor shouldn't allow you anyway. The vendors should have got everything in place before going to the market.

Was planning obtained? Is the access safe and does it comply for height. You will be faced with trying to clarify all this if you ever decide to sell. Now it's their problem to rectify, not yours.

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117782103#Comment_117782103

This is all well and good in a buyer's market.

But absolute nonsense in a seller's.

Get an opinion of compliance. You shouldn't need anything more.

jood22

The conversion was done in the 1980s so I can't imagine they had pp for it. We've requested a certificate to be done but I think we'll be told to go fly. Then we have to decide if we walk or do it ourselves before signing anything.

Can a certificate even be issued when it's such an old conversion? Would it have to comply with regs of today or back in the 80s? How do they even prove it was done in the 80s??

mickdw

Are you borrowing for the purchase. If so, it wont fly without these certs so they will have to get them or await a cash buyer.

jood22

yes - we are borrowing for the purchase.

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117783283#Comment_117783283

Bank won’t release funds then.