moving into house without building regs

[sully872000]

I am buying a property which is commercial and we have had planning permission to change its use to a dwelling. the local council say I need building regulations approval. I want to know if I can move into the property whilst work is being done or do I have to wait for all building regulation work to be completed before I move in.

 

[^woody^]

You can't lawfully occupy a property that is not certified for habitation. Nor will any insurances be valid.

 

[tony1851]

So if I build a side extension on my house, I cannot use it until I have the Building Regs Certificate??

 

[charliegolf]

Not if your house is a commercial building not yet certified for habitation!

 

[^woody^]

So if I build a side extension on my house, I cannot use it until I have the Building Regs Certificate??

That's correct.

 

[Nakajo]

Unless it's a single storey extension under 30m2

 

[geraldthehamster]

There's no obligation for Building Control to issue a certificate unless one is asked for, is there? I know people who have lived in a massively extended house for over a decade without it ever being signed off.

 

[^woody^]

There's no obligation for Building Control to issue a certificate unless one is asked for, is there? I know people who have lived in a massively extended house for over a decade without it ever being signed off.

Do you think they might do something on their computer back in the office to finalise things irrespective of printing a bit of paper?

I know people who might do 40 in a 30mph area.

 

[geraldthehamster]

Do you think they might do something on their computer back in the office to finalise things irrespective of printing a bit of paper?

If the householder hasn't asked them to do a final inspection and sign it off?

 

[^woody^]

Oh, I thought you mentioned something about printing a certificate.

Clearly if they dont get told that the work is complete, they can't issue a completion certificate

 

[geraldthehamster]

Oh, I thought you mentioned something about printing a certificate.

I did. I also said people lived in the property "without it ever being signed off". My point being that people can, and do, live in extensions that BC haven't given the OK to.

 

[^woody^]

I did. I also said people lived in the property "without it ever being signed off". My point being that people can, and do, live in extensions that BC haven't given the OK to.

Yes we know they do. Building control stopped posting a security guard on new build extensions in 1978. I blame Labour for the whole mess.

 

[geraldthehamster]

Yes we know they do. Building control stopped posting a security guard on new build extensions in 1978. I blame Labour for the whole mess.

Interesting question though. Which regulation is being broken, and how long is the enforcement period? We were talking about change of use, I think. The OP wouldn't be contravening planning by living there, because he has PP for change of use. So is it building regulations that would be being broken, and if so, which regulation? Would enforcement be impossible after a year (or two, depending on the regulation) had passed?

 

[^woody^]

The OP wouldn't be contravening planning by living there, because he has PP for change of use.

There would normally be a planning condition regarding occupation - perhaps only after certain works have been completed.

For b/regs, invariably if action is taken it will be regarding work that does not comply with b/reg, rather than than the administration aspects of the issue of a completion certificate.

I doubt anyone would ever be prosecuted for not notifying, or not requesting an inspection or a final inspection. But the implications of that are that the work is not certified and therefore by default unlawful - because the work has not been certified as complying with b/regs rather than not notifying per se.

Once the statutory time limit has passed, the option for an injuction remains.

 

[geraldthehamster]

So you're saying that the person would potentially be at risk of planning enforcement action for ten years, for breaching a condition of the PP?