Loft conversion without planning!

[larrythelabrador]

Just looked at a bungalow where the owners have converted loft area into two rooms & installed a proper staircase, one of the rooms they are using as an office & the other as a bedroom, this one has an en suite shower room.
The agent has said that they did all this without going through building regs, hence why they are advertising it as a 3 bedroom with attic rooms & not a 5 bedroom property.
Can anyone advise what the situation is with that scenario?
Thanks

 

[DevilDamo]

I'm involved with something slightly similar now whereas the current occupiers bought a semi-detached property with two bedrooms and an unauthorised loft conversion, which is used as a study. It was sold to them as a 2-bedroom property. We are now extending the property and also installing a velux window. Because we are doing works in the loft, BR will pick up the unauthorised works and want it brought up to standards. If the works were done after 1984, then it can be regularised. However, if the velux was to not be installed, BR would have no reason to go up in the loft area, so wouldn't know about the conversion and they would be none the wiser.

There must have been a reason why the owners in your case didn't go through BR. I know the reason for mine is that they just couldn't get it to work and within a reasonable budget (e.g. no upgrading of ceiling joists, illegal staircase, no handrails, no insulation in roof or floor, no escape window (which would have been required at that time).

Maybe try and identify what works are required to bring it up to BR standards and so later down the line, it can be sold as a 5 bedroom property. But you'll also have to compare the costs in putting it right to its resale value.

 

[larrythelabrador]

I'm involved with something slightly similar now whereas the current occupiers bought a semi-detached property with two bedrooms and an unauthorised loft conversion, which is used as a study. It was sold to them as a 2-bedroom property. We are now extending the property and also installing a velux window. Because we are doing works in the loft, BR will pick up the unauthorised works and want it brought up to standards. If the works were done after 1984, then it can be regularised. However, if the velux was to not be installed, BR would have no reason to go up in the loft area, so wouldn't know about the conversion and they would be none the wiser.

There must have been a reason why the owners in your case didn't go through BR. I know the reason for mine is that they just couldn't get it to work and within a reasonable budget (e.g. no upgrading of ceiling joists, illegal staircase, no handrails, no insulation in roof or floor, no escape window (which would have been required at that time).

Maybe try and identify what works are required to bring it up to BR standards and so later down the line, it can be sold as a 5 bedroom property. But you'll also have to compare the costs in putting it right to its resale value.

Thanks, yes I've asked the agent to try & get an answer to why they didn't go through planning.
Who would you suggest as best person to approach re identifying if the works are up th standard

 

[DevilDamo]

You mean building control/regulations, not planning. They're two different things. Unless the conversion also needed planning permission?

Well... the best people would be Building Control, but you wouldn't really want to alert them to it. They may already know about it as solicitors would or should normally contact the LA to identify what unauthorised works (if any) have been carried out so the potential purchaser is aware.

 

[larrythelabrador]

Well it seems it was done by a local builder in 1998, they say nobody ever mentioned building control so they never bothered.
It looks well done & the stairs are full sized & appear to meet current requirements.

 

[tony1851]

Well it seems it was done by a local builder in 1998, they say nobody ever mentioned building control so they never bothered.
It looks well done & the stairs are full sized & appear to meet current requirements.

If it was done 14 years ago, why should anyone be bothered about it now?
Neither Planning (if it needed it) nor Building Control can get involved now.

 

[larrythelabrador]

[quote="tony1851";p="2477835"

If it was done 14 years ago, why should anyone be bothered about it now?
Neither Planning (if it needed it) nor Building Control can get involved now.[/quote]

Agreed, but would cause a problem when I come to sell to someone who requires a mortgage & a bit iffy regarding insurance cover.

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Update: Despite the property being in the National Park I have managed to get the planners to put in writing that
the work did not require planning, result!
Spoken to building control & they say that subject to the conversion complying with regs. they would
issue a certificate of regularisation, fee is about £574 for that.
If I get that certificate, can I then market the property with those rooms in loft as bedrooms ?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Bear in mind that getting regularisation can be invasive and you will probably also need structural engineering cals to get the structure passed. Unless you have photos you'll need to open up inspection holes in the roof/floor/dwarf walls etc to reveal the structure/insulation etc. Hope your downstairs isn't open plan either, that little gem seems to catch people out now and then. And if any of it doesn't comply ......

 

[tony1851]

[they would
issue a certificate of regularisation, fee is about £574 for that.
If I get that certificate, can I then market the property with those rooms in loft as bedrooms ?

Yes, but as you have just been advised, the final fee could be a lot more than £574.
If you have to provide structural calcs, SE would probably charge at least that. Then there will be your costs of opening up and re-instating.
If its a bungalow, there shouldn't be too many problems with open plan, so long as an escape window has been provided.