Planning issue

[Dylan123]

Hi,

I took a wall out and paid the fee.

The council came and had a look and said send pics when painted and finished.


Due to issues with money, and other work, I haven’t done the work and only completed it 18 months later and have realised I dont have paperwork.


Searching my email the council sent me an email (I missed it in the massive list of spam) saying that they are upgrading their systems and have deleted my application.

So I now have work done and no application.

Other than the fact the council as per usual took money and then gave zero care to people in my position because it suits them, what is the implication?

Will I have to rip out the plaster board so they can see it to start again? Is it a serious issue on re sale? My neighbour did LOADS of work like this remodelling and seemed to think that issues reselling are overblown, not as big a deal and he didn’t bother and sold his house just fine.

Best just to call council and explain? I appreciate there was a long gap but still fuming council just delete all your work and send one email and totally derail what you’ve paid for, you’d never get this level of customer care with a private company.

 

[blup]

I think after 12 months a building notice lapses so so would need @ retrospective application and face having to expose the works.

Describe the work you did, size/type of beam and padstones and method of bedding, and how you supported the wall above during the works. If its structurally ok you can take the risk with Council, a surveyor for a purchaser will just take it at face value.

Blup

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

At what point did they visit? When the beam was inserted presumably prior to it being covered over, did you not take any photos? You surely have an application number or reference?

 

[noseall]

the council as per usual took money and then gave zero care to people in my position because it suits them, what is the implication?

Apart from sending you information explaining the time out penalties when you first applied. You need to be more diligent with your emails.

It's not the LA's responsibility to babysit every applicant through the whole process. Finishing the work and getting it signed off is your responsibility. Not that difficult to carry out either.

 

[martygturner]

It only becomes and issue when a house is sold...and indemnity insurance will cover that currently at £175 per 500k house price.

Lets face it most house have unregulated work done...from windows to kitchens... just have a quick search for building regulation court cases...

As for exposing the works highly unlikely, if its been up for a few years the normal inspection is a brief as anything moved type, door jamb dropped above etc.

 

[cdbe]

Do they time out? Mines been going over 3 years, I spend too much time on the internet and not enough on the extension!

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Do they time out? Mines been going over 3 years, I spend too much time on the internet and not enough on the extension!

Yes they do, give them a ring at least once a year & get an inspector out for a 5 second 'anything changed? No? See you next year' visit

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

IME whilst they do time out, they just sit on file until/if they're reactivated.

 

[jono_h]

Do they time out? Mines been going over 3 years, I spend too much time on the internet and not enough on the extension!

Mine has a time limit of three years, and I think the days of getting endless extensions (I took 6 years to get a completion certificate last time, with 6 monthly check ins with the BCO) are over with some LA’s.

I had read a post somewhere about a loft conversion where 3 years had passed and the LA wanted the Homeowner to reapply for Building Regs, and then expected them to meet the new Part L.

 

[Koolpc]

I would forget about it. If you sell, indemnity will cover any issues.

 

[conny]

I sold my house in 2014. Whilst living there for the previous 18 years I had numerous works done. New heating system, new doors throughout, (by myself), new windows throughout, 2 new fitted kitchens, (by myself), conservatory added, (no planning perm req and I did the electrics myself), loft boarded out and lights added, (by myself).
When the house was sold the new owners didn't bat an eyelid except to ask about a guarantee for the conservatory as it had been done 5 years previously. I simply said it had expired. Contracts exchanged and house keys handed over.

 

[jeds]

Do building regulations applications time out? When did that start? They time out if work is not started within 3 years but once started as far as I know that are open indefinitely.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Depending on the authority my experience is that if a job pauses for any length of time they moth ball it sometimes, or mark the file as inactive so to speak. But no they don't terminate it which is what the OP is implying. But the threads going nowhere without any further interest from the OP.

 

[^woody^]

Once an application is registered, that is the legal process started and the application can't simply be deleted - we'll of course it can, but that does not remove the fact that an application has been legally registered and the council is responsible for it.

The archive time limit for inactive applications may vary by council, but each will publish their policy along with the charges for reactivating archived files.

 

[Dylan123]

Thanks guys