Concrete House - Unity PRC

[Escy]

I'm in the process of buying a house, i've just had this message, "We have been advised by our surveyor in the area that this is a repaired Unity PRC property and, therefore, not suitable for a HB survey or a Building Survey."

The estate agent didn't know this at the time the offers were made so now is the first time i've been aware of it. I don't know anything about them, i've been on Google and it seems they went through a period where they were pretty much untouchable by mortgage companies if they hadn't been checked/repaired but the articles are old. Is this still the case? I'm getting my mortgage through Nationwide and it doesn't seem to be a problem that it's a PRC house.

Providing the house valuation comes back ok, from my end it seems like nothing is going to change other than needing specialist survey.

Any input on the house construction and should I be concerned? I think the house has a certificate for repair from 2006. Once they are done, are they considered ok from then on or is it something that needs doing every 20 years or something?

[KAgantua]

who sent u message?

surveyor or mortgage co?

[Escy]

My mortgage broker told me, the surveyor was through the mortgage company and they said they couldn't do the inspection I'd booked due to the construction type.

[Zoon]

Difficult to mortgage and insure.
Most sales are cash investor only due to the above.

[33q]

These are known locally to me as a 'Brick Up'

Ex council or NCB houses are very evident in Nottinghamshire.

Grants were available to replace or add additional external walls to take out of view the concrete panels.

They were very difficult to mortgage at one time but given the number changing hands round here they must be easier once repaired.

Mortgages on the few that have not been repaired are very difficult/impossible

[Flibble]

The approved repair seems to be stripping the PRC panels and replacing with a brick outer skin. If that's been done it should be similar in structure to a normal brick and block house.

[Caddyshack]

I am surprised the Broker did not ask the construction type? WHY the agents do not know or make this VERY evident always astounds me as it wastes peoples time, money and emotions of buying a house.

Surely the agent would have experienced this type of house and problematic mortgage before?

[Toltec]

Caddyshack said:

I am surprised the Broker did not ask the construction type? WHY the agents do not know or make this VERY evident always astounds me as it wastes peoples time, money and emotions of buying a house.

Surely the agent would have experienced this type of house and problematic mortgage before?

Does seem odd that a local agent would not know about these. There is an estate close to me where there are whole roads of these, though it looks like they have been covered with a mix of render and brick slips over, at a guess, external insulation.

[Escy]

Caddyshack said:

I am surprised the Broker did not ask the construction type? WHY the agents do not know or make this VERY evident always astounds me as it wastes peoples time, money and emotions of buying a house.

Surely the agent would have experienced this type of house and problematic mortgage before?

I'd mistakenly told the broker it was a brick built house as I knew no different at the time. I agree, the estate agent should have known.

[PAUL500]

I watched streets of these being converted a few years ago in Ely, they essentially acrow propped up the first floor to the ground floor and the same from the roof to the first floor then removed the entire external walls, and replaced with cavity brick and block walls, then refurbished the inside.

Of course the agent and the seller knew what they were, and the potential finance problems, that is why they kept quiet! and hoped you just found a forward thinking lender.

Hows life anyway, your dad still got his Mk1 escort? remember me, Y2K RS ring a bell :-)

That is a lovely looking Aston the seller has.

[Escy]

PAUL500 said:

I watched streets of these being converted a few years ago in Ely, they essentially acrow propped up the first floor to the ground floor and the same from the roof to the first floor then removed the entire external walls, and replaced with cavity brick and block walls, then refurbished the inside.

Of course the agent and the seller knew what they were, and the potential finance problems, that is why they kept quiet! and hoped you just found a forward thinking lender.

Hows life anyway, your dad still got his Mk1 escort? remember me, Y2K RS ring a bell :-)

That is a lovely looking Aston the seller has.

Hi Paul, I had a Mk1 Escort, Aston had the Mk2 RS2000. He sold it years back and got into the new shape Mini's. I remember Y2K RS, it was stunning. Did you end up building the RS500 you were collecting the parts for?

[PAUL500]

Ah I got your user name mixed up with Astons! no I sold it all off in the end and bought a complete one, then had to sell that when I got divorced. No chance of having another given the prices they go for today.

Good luck with the house.