Buying house with lean to and toilet without consent

[mrrusty]

Does anyone know if you’d ever be able to get building regs consent for a loo that’s essentially in a lean-to i.e. no proper foundations, built on a retaining wall, single skin? I know it’s stood for a long time, but I know building regs need to check the structure is sound, and I’m assuming it probably wouldn’t pass that test even if we spend money on it to meet all the other criteria...??

How do you know the loo hasn't been there since the house was built? Or perhaps it was built long before there were building regs like there are today. We have an outside loo that was converted in the early 70's from a pail closet, and on the original 1902 plans was an earth closet. It certainly wouldn't comply with BR today. Do you think anyone is bothered?

 

[Nica25]

How do you know the loo hasn't been there since the house was built? Or perhaps it was built long before there were building regs like there are today. We have an outside loo that was converted in the early 70's from a pail closet, and on the original 1902 plans was an earth closet. It certainly wouldn't comply with BR today. Do you think anyone is bothered?

So the lean to was there before the current sellers time, as using Zoopla I can see the for-sale photos. I can see the toilet wasn’t there, and the current sellers have said they installed it.

 

[Nica25]

Google earth has a Historical Data section.
You can see if the extension is visible.
Then slide the bar back in time
You may get lucky and have proof that it's been there longer than you need?
I don't know much about planning though.

This is great thank you! So I’ve had a look and the past imagery is ropey but I can see that the lean-to appears in the photos somewhere between 2005 and 2011. Seems recent enough for them to have known better. I know you don’t need building regs consent for a lean-to as such, but they’ve built it on top of a retaining wall. I can forgive them for that as there’s technically no regulations for this I don’t think, the issue I think is that the toilet has recently been added to what is essentially a temporary structure and therefore would it even be appropriate in the eyes of building regs? Not sure if it’s worth us spending money on it to make it better, as it will definitely benefit us whilst we live there, but when we come to sell later on (possibly around 5 years time) it could cause as much drama with potential buyers as it’s causing us now...!

 

[Tigercubrider]

I think with that sort of thing I wouldn't worry about it.
My girlfriend once lived above a stable block/old coach house and I am 99% certain the hayloft to flat conversion was not technically legal. It looked as if it was done in the 90's.
The house that owned it was sold and she stayed as a tennant. The house was over a million quid and I don't remember any comments about the legality of the flat

Many people buy houses with an attic bedroom that isn't a true loft conversion and the estate agents don't call it a bedroom,
It is what it is. Don't pay too much and when you sell accept that it's reflected in the sale price. There are far worse infractions that survive

 

[Captain Nemesis]

but when we come to sell later on (possibly around 5 years time) it could cause as much drama with potential buyers as it’s causing us now...!

To be honest, the "drama" is mostly of your making. As lots of people have said the council will neither know nor care about it, and their level of uninterest will have dropped even further when you sell in the future. The biggest risk you face is that if it is a buyers market someone might use it to screw the price down.

 

[Nica25]

Thanks everyone for your helpful replies