Sell a house without building regulations approval

Yes, you can sell a house where work has been done without building regulations approval, but it complicates the sale. Mortgage lenders require either retrospective building control sign-off or an indemnity insurance policy to cover the lack of approval. If neither can be obtained, the property may be difficult to mortgage. A cash buyer like HouseBought4Cash does not need mortgage approval and can purchase your property regardless of building regulations issues.

If building work was carried out without building regulations approval, the local authority can take enforcement action for up to two years after the work was completed (one year for some types of work). After this period, enforcement is no longer possible, but the lack of approval remains on record and can affect future sales. The local authority cannot require you to demolish work after the enforcement period, but a buyer's solicitor will flag the issue during conveyancing and may require an indemnity insurance policy before proceeding.

Building regulations indemnity insurance is a policy that protects the property owner and mortgage lender against the financial risk of the local authority taking enforcement action for unapproved building work. The policy typically costs between 100 and 500 pounds and provides cover for the life of the building. It is a common solution when work was done without approval and retrospective sign-off is not possible. However, applying for retrospective approval after taking out indemnity insurance can invalidate the policy, so one route or the other should be chosen.

Yes, you can apply for a regularisation certificate from your local authority building control department. They will inspect the work and, if it meets current standards, issue a certificate. If the work does not meet standards, they will tell you what needs to be done to bring it up to compliance. The cost of a regularisation application varies but is typically 200 to 600 pounds plus any costs to bring the work up to standard. This process can take several weeks.

Building regulations approval is required for most structural alterations, extensions, loft conversions, garage conversions, replacement windows and doors (if not done by a FENSA-registered installer), electrical work (in England), plumbing and heating installations, and changes to drainage. Cosmetic changes like decorating, replacing kitchens (without moving gas or electrics), and like-for-like repairs generally do not need approval. If you are unsure whether past work needed approval, a surveyor or building control officer can advise.