Selling our house, the buyers solicitor has highlighted a rooflight conversion to a portion of the loft that was done long before our ownership (and before the previous owner > 15 years ago)
No documents appear to exist around planning permission (which I understand as a rooflight that didn’t impact the house height and profile was likely not required) or building control sign-off.
As there is no documentation, the buyers solicitors is insisting we pay for an indemnity against it. I have so far resisted because aside from the fact that neither we nor the previous owners ever had such a policy, they haven’t stated exactly what the indemnity will cover or shown me any kind of policy that they intend to take out. They’ve just asked for several hundred pounds.
They’ve responded to this pushback by saying the buyers lender will now have to decide whether to proceed with the sale. Personally I think they’re trying it on, the buyers could acquire the indemnity themselves if they so chose.
My question is: whilst I don’t believe any documentation exists, is there some repository I can check for historical building control documents in case they do? I know the conveyancer should have found everything but my own one is lacklustre and needs constant prompting so there’s a chance they’ve missed something.