You've found a property you want to buy. You've agreed a price, instructed a solicitor, and things are moving along nicely. Then an email arrives from your solicitor saying there's no structural warranty on the property, and the mortgage lender needs something before they'll proceed.

Don't panic. This is one of the most common issues that comes up in transactions involving newer builds and conversions, and in the vast majority of cases it's solvable without too much disruption.

Why some properties have no warranty

• It was a self-build and the owner never registered with NHBC
• A small developer built it without using a warranty scheme
• It's a barn conversion, flat conversion, or similar project where warranties are less common
• The paperwork existed but got lost somewhere along the way
• The original developer has since wound up and the documentation didn't transfer

If the property was built or significantly converted within the last six years, your mortgage lender needs either a warranty or a Professional Consultants Certificate before they'll lend on it. That's standard policy across almost all mainstream lenders.

Your options at this point

Ask the seller to sort a PCC

This is the cleanest approach. The seller instructs a RICS-regulated firm like us to inspect the property and issue a certificate. It doesn't cost a fortune, it can usually be done within a week, and it unblocks the transaction. Many sellers are happy to do this once they understand it's a standard requirement rather than a reflection on the property.

Arrange a PCC yourself as the buyer

If the seller isn't going to do it, you can arrange it yourself and factor the cost into your offer or negotiation. A single-unit PCC from Sign-Off Direct costs £950, which in the context of a property purchase is usually a manageable amount.

Consider whether a different lender would work

If you're approaching the six-year boundary, your mortgage broker might be able to find a lender whose criteria don't require certification for that specific property. It's worth a conversation, though it's not always an option.

What type of PCC will be needed?

In a purchase situation, where the build is already done, a retrospective PCC is what's issued. One of our RICS-regulated surveyors visits the property, inspects it, and we issue the certificate based on that inspection and the available documentation. Most major lenders accept retrospective PCCs. A small number prefer a monitored certificate (one where a surveyor attended during the build), but for a property that's already complete and changing hands, a retrospective PCC is the practical solution and is accepted by the vast majority of mainstream lenders.

Will this delay the purchase significantly?

Not if it's picked up early. We can book a site visit within a few days and issue a certificate within 7 days of that visit. If the issue is flagged early in the transaction (which it usually is, when solicitors do their searches), there's typically plenty of time to sort it without holding up completion. The tricky situations are the ones where this comes up very late. If you're weeks into the transaction and the exchange date is looming, get in touch with us directly and tell us the timeline.

What the PCC actually gives you as a buyer

It's professional certification by a RICS-regulated surveyor that the property was built to a proper standard, backed by their professional indemnity insurance. It's valid for six years from the date of inspection, transferring to you as the new owner. Most mortgage lenders treat it as equivalent to a structural warranty for lending purposes.