Selling a house with unconsented works

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mattwnz

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#3397027 25-Jul-2025 12:51

Handle9:

gzt: Imo this is a relatively common scenario. Buyers are not necessarily concerned about it depending on the change and type of property, although some will be regardless, perhaps more so in some areas and price ranges. I'm guessing you've struck an agent who has a customer base or market segment that has a low tolerance for it, or otherwise just avoids any complications.

Or who is inexperienced, lazy or useless.

i know agents that wouldn’t take on the risk of selling such a property. So it isn’t about those things.

i noticed true was the OPs first post and they haven’t returned.

Handle9

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#3397028 25-Jul-2025 12:52

mattwnz:

Handle9:

Or who is inexperienced, lazy or useless.

i know agents that wouldn’t take on the risk of selling such a property. So it isn’t about those things.

You have absolutely no idea "what it is about." You are guessing.

mattwnz

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#3397043 25-Jul-2025 13:20

Handle9:

You have absolutely no idea "what it is about." You are guessing.

I don’t know what you mean. But I have been in a buyers position dealing with agents and involved with nearly buying a house without consented works and a house that didn’t have compliance. These things not being advertised or discovered later. It isn’t fun from the buyers perspective.

Handle9

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#3397063 25-Jul-2025 14:25

mattwnz:

Handle9:

You have absolutely no idea "what it is about." You are guessing.

I don’t know what you mean. But I have been in a buyers position dealing with agents and involved with nearly buying a house without consented works and a house that didn’t have compliance. These things not being advertised or discovered later. It isn’t fun from the buyers perspective.

You were definitive about why it wasn’t a useless agent. You don’t know any of the circumstances and you are guessing.

From what OP has said there is no compliance issue as they are clear there was no consent required. Even if there is a compliance issue a good agent can still sell the house. It won’t get a good price and it may take a while but every house can be sold.

mudguard

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#3397125 25-Jul-2025 16:57

I vaguely recall an issue with an unconsented fireplace or something like that.

Reasonably wealthy customer made an offer based an the equity they already had an old pre-approval (this was over a decade when I was working for a bank). We kept asking for a copy of the sale and purchase agreement, kept asking, then it came through and there was this fireplace and we immediately asked if their insurance company would cover it. No...

This was all days before settlement. Finally got through when the insurance company would provide cover unless it was the fireplace that caused an issue.

But yeah we sat round going, who's gonna tell the customer they need to pay for this house themselves if insurance doesn't come through!

eracode

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#3397147 25-Jul-2025 18:42

mudguard:

Finally got through when the insurance company would provide cover unless it was the fireplace that caused an issue.

Under the circs, quite an elegant solution carving out the problematic fireplace from the cover.

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johno1234

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#3397235 26-Jul-2025 08:45

gzt: Imo this is a relatively common scenario. Buyers are not necessarily concerned about it depending on the change and type of property, although some will be regardless, perhaps more so in some areas and price ranges. I'm guessing you've struck an agent who has a customer base or market segment that has a low tolerance for it, or otherwise just avoids any complications.

Banks will not lend money if they are aware that the house has a defective LIM or unconsented alterations. Insurance companies may decline coverage or claims. Banks will decline mortgages if you can’t get insurance.

You really need to know what you’re doing with such things. You could end up with a very expensive mistake.

Handle9

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#3397251 26-Jul-2025 10:05

johno1234:

gzt: Imo this is a relatively common scenario. Buyers are not necessarily concerned about it depending on the change and type of property, although some will be regardless, perhaps more so in some areas and price ranges. I'm guessing you've struck an agent who has a customer base or market segment that has a low tolerance for it, or otherwise just avoids any complications.

Banks will not lend money if they are aware that the house has a defective LIM or unconsented alterations. Insurance companies may decline coverage or claims. Banks will decline mortgages if you can’t get insurance.

You really need to know what you’re doing with such things. You could end up with a very expensive mistake.

Depending on what’s been done banks and insurance companies will lend or insure the property but there may be conditions and carveouts. It’s very situation dependent

An unconsented conservatory is rarely a big deal as it’s effectively an “add on” to the existing structure and can be effectively excluded when the value of the property is considered. The last house I sold in New Zealand had a defective title due to a conservatory and it was no problem at all to sell. We disclosed it, banks and insurers looked at it and were fine with the whole thing as it could be easily removed if necessary.

An unconsented extra level can be a big deal. It’s one of those things you have to look at case by case.

johno1234

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#3397317 26-Jul-2025 18:14

The bank groused about one of ours because the original plan said carport but addition of a garage door made it a garage not a carport. They didn’t stop the sale and we were only after a tiny mortgage but they did moan about it. It is like they are looking for excuses not to lend. We did point out that if push came to shove we could unbolt the garage door. They finally saw sense.

eracode

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#3398115 29-Jul-2025 21:23

@zuzuflub In your first and only post more than a week ago, you were seeking responses to a not-well-defined question.

Many people put some effort into posting thoughtful comments trying to assist you and some asked questions seeking clarification from you.

So far you have not had the courtesy to reply. Just wondering if you are going to do that?

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