25 year Old Loft Conversion - No Building Control Compliance

[jpucng62]

Hoping for a bit of advice.

My son has found a great house to buy for himself. It has a loft conversion with a bedroom and wc, done 'about 25yrs ago', with no building control compliance. It is not being marketed as a bedroom because of this, but what I need to understand is whether there is the possibility of any comeback with Building Compliance or is there a sort of Statute of Limitations on this sort of thing? I don't want him to buy a problem.

Thanks.

[pilman]

The Limitation Act 1980 sets out periods in which action can be taken to sue.

For land that period is 12 years, although for most other claims it is 6 years.

Personally I would not bother about a development completed 25 years ago if no action has been taken in that extremely lengthy period of time.

[jpucng62]

Thanks for that clarification!

[Dan_Manchester]

We brought something similar and got the seller to get a simple indemnity policy, cost was minimal (less than £200 and the seller paid).

The wider concern is the safety of the loft conversion, the building regs are there for safety (mostly in case of a fire, escape routes etc) so you might wish to consider ‘upgrading’ the loft conversion to meet the regs anyway.

[jpucng62]

The wider concern is the safety of the loft conversion, the building regs are there for safety (mostly in case of a fire, escape routes etc) so you might wish to consider ‘upgrading’ the loft conversion to meet the regs anyway.

That is also my concern, particularly as there have been other structural alterations - I think I will steer them away. Thanks for your input.