Close To Exchange, Purchasing Flat With No Building Regs But Spoke With Council

I was about to exchange this week but my solicitor unfortunately didn't advice me on Indemnity Insurance at the time and spoke with Council.

The Property was converted into 3 flats in 2004 and bought in auction in 2012. The current owner moved into the flat in Jan 2013 and signed an Indemnity Insurance set up by the freeholder for the 3 flats - for the 3 owners. The owner confirmed she can't apply for 'regulations' from the council as this would invalidate the Indemnity Insurance for the flats.

My questions are the following :
1. Can the current owner indemnity insurance be transferred to me ( as it is not nominative and only said 'owner of the flat'?
2. Is there any other option for me to purchase the flat with being protective - as no Building Regs?

Thanks

3 Answers

You may have invalidated indemnity cover as far as you are concerned by approaching the council. In any case I'm not sure I'd be happy with indemnity insurance in this situation. If the property was built with the benefit of an NHBC or Zurich guarantee then contact NHBC or Zurich to find out if they dealt with building regulations approved inspectors. Otherwise contact the council building control department and ask them for evidence of building regulations approval. It is unlikely that the entire building was constructed without building regulations approval.

Thank you for your reply.

I should have be more precise by saying that when speaking with the Council, I actually spoke with the Building Reg Department - and gave the full address of the property but not my identity - who confirms that no-one had came to visit the property to check the conversion work (although next to the entry on the Local Search for the conversion in 2004, it says: 'inspection date ' June 2012 with "unsatisfactory". It is very confusing as my solicitor kept saying that the sale was lost but came back yesterday with a new insurance indemnity policy taking in consideration that I had been in touch with the Council.

1. Would I be covered with this new Indemnity insurance?
2. Would I be able to transfer the indemnity insurance to the next buyer? If not, how would I be able to sell the flat in the future without the building reg?

Thank you for your help.

Crimes of the indemnity insurance policy you should rely on what you're supposed to take me telling you. The f** f a c t that the search states that the inspection was unsatisfactory should be a concern however. Why was it on satisfactory? Is the building safe? These questions are likely to be asked when you come to sell the property and in my opinion should be answered before you proceed