So you have gone ahead and had some work done on your house, an
extension, a fancy gazebo, new windows, French doors fitted, however you neglected to get the
proper council
building consent.
So what happens now? Well if you are selling your property the prospective buyers could play
hard ball and negotiate the price down because you haven't received consent for the changes,
even if they are all up to code.
Unfortunately consents for building are not issued retrospectively. However you can apply
to the council for a "
certificate of acceptance".
If the work was carried out and completed prior to 1992 there is no a whole lot that can be
done as the
building code did not exist prior to this date and a certificate of acceptance
cannot be issued.
In order to obtain a "certificate of acceptance" for the building work completed after 1992,
the council will inspect the alterations and if they meet the building code requirements
will grant the "certificate of acceptance".
It is not unusual to find properties where construction has not been completed or the council
have not approved the final building. This is not to say that the buildings were
constructed without consent, most will have consent. This situation is not a problem if
the building work was carried out prior to January 1993. If the building is not dangerous
the council cannot force the owner to complete or alter any work.
Good news for some.
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