Legal requirements - commercial property

[moorland72]

i have just had a buildings report done for a new commercial property we are looking to purchase and there are some recommendations on it which want to check are a legal requirement, and if so should the current vendor have these in place before any sale goes ahead:

* gas safe certificate for the boiler
* emergency lighting system
* buildings asbestos report
* disabled access to the premises

thanks

 

[PipeTen-Carl]

AFAIK the only one in your list which may have legal requirement for notification at exchange of contract would be asbestos if known, all the others I would expect to be buyer beware. Would be interested to know otherwise.

 

[JandJC]

If the commercial property has been in the state of trading in the recent past then you would expect the current owner should possess a certification for all gas appliances within the property.

As for asbestos reports, they only arise if the said property has undergone an inspection, if the building has asbestos then you have to contact your local council (where the commercial property is located) to get someone who is qualified to carry out the removal, this can be very costly.

 

[MAWuk]

There is no legal obligation on the current owners to have the asbestos removed pre-sale as long as it is in reasonable condition(I don't think they're obliged even if its in bad condition tbh but I may be wrong on that).

If you don't fancy taking on the responsibility of managing the asbestos after you've bought it, then I would negotiate to either have the current owner foot the bill for removal (regardless of the condition of it) or have them knock the cost of having it removed off the price.

There may be big implications for you if you take on management of it and it turns out to be extensive and high risk stuff. It will become a liability and a headache.

 

[MAWuk]

Sorry just realised how old this thread is!!!!