protected internal entrance hall

[Tiboric]

Hi guys

New user.
I'm confident in do doing most jobs. I purchased a flat last year and found that the large cupboard (1.5m x 1.5m approx) in the hall to be of no use to use as we have almost no possessions since we moved. I have stated buy removing a 400mmx400mm single rad and caping the pipes off under the floor.

Then removing the plasrer board walling (taking have my ceiling plasterboard with it) and taking down plasterboard arch way to the kitchen to increace the light into the new space that will be replaced with a breakfast bar. at which point me and my fience left our current jobs to try new careers. At which point we became in able to financially carry on at the rate of renavation we had hoped( finish by now) but today I received a letter from Derwent living a housing association that runs the building we own our flat in(6 small bed room flats are in this building ) saying that the protected entrance hall is required by building regulations and to provide and planning permition I my have needed to request.

As these were false plasterboard walls. Should the permission be needed to renovate/improve our home and what permission should I have gained?
And more importantly where should I go from here?
I have searched the .gov website for regulations on this but it seems to be talking about the common hall ways no ones within the property its self.

Thanks guys
John

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

You wouldn't need planning permission for any internal alterations, unless the building was listed. As for Building Regulations I don't see why removing the lobby would be any issue (thinking fire), assuming the wall in question was not structural. But can't say 100% as we don't have a layout to look at. It sounds like your kitchen never had a doorway to enter it? Can you do a quick before and after drawing of the layout?

That said it is probably in your deeds that you should have got the agreement of the leaseholder.

 

[Tiboric]

Hi . thank you for the quick reply. I've uploaded a before and after drawing . sorry for my bad skills.
Hope it shows what I'm talking about.

John

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Untitled

• Tiboric
• 5 Aug 2014
• 1

Untitled

• Tiboric
• 5 Aug 2014
• 1

Ahh, my bad I think, so it is a cupboard and not a lobby and you have removed it? I can't see why that would need any council authorisation; Planning or Building Regs. But as mentioned you may need permission from your landlord (your leasholder), I'm surprised they did they not mention that in their letter?

 

[Tiboric]

Thank you.

 

[Justin Passing]

Was there anything to "protect" inside it? Like pipes, gas, electrics?

 

[Tiboric]

Just a retrofitted 15mm pipe and cable for an electric shower that is being removed in favor of a mixer. As the whole bathroom and kitchen are being redone at the same time.

I just don't want to fight something I'm in the wrong about but I can not see how the removal of the cupboard walls increase fire risk once completed.. One of the walls had a rad on it that has been capped beneath floor level ready for a new larger rad to be fitted to heat the new space created by removing the cupboard
I can add photos I have taken as I did the removal. It gona be a real struggle to finish either way due to financial trouble we are currently in .

The main reason for me not continuing up to now was the revealing of the wiring when the ceiling came down with the walls as none of it looks to be ideal if safe at all and the consumer unit needs replacing as I prefer something safer that the 80's style one we have now.
Again money is the issue with getting a electrician in to fit the unit and test the current wiring

 

[Tiboric]

M think off the top of my head . maybe the previous owner had installed the archway and removed the door without permission.

In there eyes This would then change the effectivness of the smoke and fire barrier that they thought should be there.

But would this not have been seen with the yearly fire inspection?

 

[Tiboric]

Sorry
Would someone be able to tell me if the previous own had permition for an arch way would I need to seek any govning body to remove the rest of the wall.

If they didn't have permission what are my options... Just rebuild the stud wall and install a fire door . or as we bought the house with the archway installed could that just be recreated?


Thanks for all the help guys.

John

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Ahh, just picked up your posts, so are you saying that before you moved in there was a fire door separating the kitchen from the hallway, this is pretty normal, when you said you only had an archway I took that to mean that's how it was built. Are the other flats in the block the same/similar? Do they have archways or fire doors? If fire doors then yes you should reinstate the fire door.

 

[Tiboric]

No sorry I'm confusing you. The archway was there but I don't know if it had permission.

If I did not have permission would I have to install a fire door as they had no right to remove it before. Or could I argue that because it was like this when I purchased the flat that the archway should be reinstated rather than a door . which we have never had from the time we moved in . and / also could I then argue about installing a breakfast bar where the wall was that I have removed?

Thanks
John

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Yes I understand, if there was a doorway there before you ever moved in and was removed and archway installed then Building Control would never give permission to make the layout worse so extremely doubtful permission was ever granted.

I am not sure if the landlord can legally make you do the work, I would hazard they probably could, ultimately, as the previous owners have made escape worse. They could also involve Building Control who could also probably make you fit a fire door, as the installation as it stands is less safe than it was and there is a danger to life, in the event of a fire. You may also find that your home insurance is invalid for the same reasons.

 

[Tiboric]

Thank you very much