House converted into flats - doesn't match planning permission

PossiblyOverworked · 18 June 2017 at 8:37PM

Hi,

Planning permission was given with no objections for conversion of a house near me into flats.

This has now been listed on right move with photos and floor plans etc and the conversion is clearly not according to the approved plans (walls in different places; without going into too much detail it seems designed to accommodate more people than the approved plans would be, but that's just speculation on my part.) (edited to make clear: the actual "implementation" of the conversion contains significantly more bedrooms (and by implication number of people) than the approved PP).

I don't think it comes into the HMO legislation.

Is there anything I can do with regard the agent, the planning people, or anything else?

Maybe I am just being a nosey wotsit and sticking my beak in, but it annoys me that we have a planning process that most people stick to, and then developers just do what they were going to do anyway if it's more profitable!

eddddy · 18 June 2017 at 8:50PM

If you want to report a breach of planning, here's some info:
https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200127/planning/103/having_your_say/5

anselld · 18 June 2017 at 9:59PM

Planning are not usually overly concerned about the detailed internal layout. There may be some concern, for example if the available floor space was consistent with a one bed and they have pushed in two beds.

lwhiteman88 · 18 June 2017 at 11:08PM

Anyone is free to move internal walls around without needing planning permission. The only concern for the planners in this situation would be if the rooms fell below their space standards for dwellings (some councils do not even have this).

If you wanted to complain to the council you would need a substantiated reason to do so. If you really believe that there will be more people living there than what has been approved you could complain on this ground as it would have an impact on parking etc. However I would suggest you check first and also understand if it is a HMO as this does not necessarily need planning permission and therefore they could be doing something perfectly legal.

davidmcn · 18 June 2017 at 11:42PM

PossiblyOverworked wrote: »

Maybe I am just being a nosey wotsit and sticking my beak in

Something like that, yes - are you sure they haven't applied for a variation to the original consent?

If the discrepancies are material, the chances are that at least one of the purchasers (or their solicitors or surveyors) will pick up on it anyway.

Ozzuk · 19 June 2017 at 1:09PM

Is there any impact whatsoever to you? If not, then just forget about it, life is too short to worry about what others are doing.

I'm all for doing ones civic duty I think doing this is a step too far.

ReadingTim · 19 June 2017 at 1:26PM

Ozzuk wrote: »

Is there any impact whatsoever to you? If not, then just forget about it, life is too short to worry about what others are doing.

I'm all for doing ones civic duty I think doing this is a step too far.

"First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me"

If that's a bit subtle, then consider what would happen if this infraction wasn't a one off, but the thin end of the wedge in terms of turning the area into a HMO ghetto. Wouldn't it impact you then?

PossiblyOverworked · 19 June 2017 at 6:40PM

lwhiteman88 wrote: »

Anyone is free to move internal walls around without needing planning permission. The only concern for the planners in this situation would be if the rooms fell below their space standards for dwellings (some councils do not even have this).

If you wanted to complain to the council you would need a substantiated reason to do so. If you really believe that there will be more people living there than what has been approved you could complain on this ground as it would have an impact on parking etc. However I would suggest you check first and also understand if it is a HMO as this does not necessarily need planning permission and therefore they could be doing something perfectly legal.

I don't want to make it too identifiable but let's just say there are now significantly more bedrooms than the PP agreed to (including one smaller than the minimum inhabitable size) with the increase in number of people (and parking etc) that comes with it.

I do understand that moving internal walls around in itself isn't a "violation" and wouldn't get on anyone's case just for that -- if not for the fact that moving them around into an arrangement that gives more bedrooms than what was agreed to. Sorry I wasn't clear about that!

PossiblyOverworked · 19 June 2017 at 6:42PM

Ozzuk wrote: »

Is there any impact whatsoever to you? If not, then just forget about it, life is too short to worry about what others are doing.

I'm all for doing ones civic duty I think doing this is a step too far.

The impact to me / other neighbours is things like parking and noise with an increased number of people, and the "thin end of the wedge" argument made by a subsequent poster. ie.. if we can overlook PP because it's more profitable / convenient / whatever, what would it be like if everyone did that?

PossiblyOverworked · 19 June 2017 at 6:47PM

I am not sure if it's a HMO if it started off as a single house but has been "partitioned off" into flats over several floors? as part of the rules seems to be about "multiple households" where a household is a single person or members of a family - But for example if I rented that flat with my BFF and we each had our own room - would we be 2 "households" since we are not a couple?

PossiblyOverworked · 19 June 2017 at 6:53PM

anselld wrote: »

Planning are not usually overly concerned about the detailed internal layout. There may be some concern, for example if the available floor space was consistent with a one bed and they have pushed in two beds.

When it was a complete house, the floor space was consistent with the number of bedrooms taking into account that there was 1 living room, 1 bathroom, 1 kitchen (as you would expect for a single-family house). Now it's been converted, there are 2 bathrooms, 2 kitchens, 2 living space etc and so part of the space has been "cannibalised" for want of a better word, for each.

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House converted into flats - doesn't match planning permission

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