Extremely worried over old rear extension !

hethmar

Sorry dn, I dont have the qualifications to answer definitively- I guess someone will be along soon. Normally, if the extension is recent and doesnt have PP you just take out an indemnity policy to cover it.

I cant imagine why they even asked for them. I thought on the questionnaire it usually asks about pp for any extensions "in the last 5 years", not the last half century! No sense to it at all. As I said before, Id wait and see what they reply.

Did their surveyor say there is a problem with the extension?

lincroft1710

dn - in 1974 there was a huge shake up in local govt, unless you live in a city or very large town the council in 1967 won't be the same as the council now as many small ones were merged to form new District Councils, some old ones were even split, so part went to one DC, part to another. Some planning depts pre 74 were not very well organised, plans often got lost, misfiled.

So imagine the scene in April 1974 when all the old plans from 4 or 5 former councils arrive at the new council HQ. I don't imagine that filing them in a logical order would be a priority.

I would doubt that if even if plans are held by the council for the extension, they could easily find them, unless they were microfilmed or scanned into a computer. You could always ask council and if they either can't or won't find them you can in all honesty say that the plans are lost.

I used to come across loads of extensions which either did not have pp or had not been built according to submitted plans. Relevant councils were not interested.

By the way do your buyers or their solicitor have a degree in stupidity?

planning_officer

desperate_now wrote: »

Did they insist on plans that far back or not (40 years) - does anyone know?
The question on my questionaire does specifically refer to my kitchen extension which they got from my buyers surveyors report. Do they really think there should be plans that far back.

Yes, if planning permission had been obtained, plans would exist (the planning system started in 1948). However, there is simply no need to give plans to the buyers - tell them it was done in the 1960s and is clearly now lawful (it becomes lawful in planning terms after 4 years).

lincroft1710 wrote: »

I would doubt that if even if plans are held by the council for the extension, they could easily find them

We have all our plans for the District going back to 1948 - and all filed neatly, easily accessible! ;-) Maybe we're just quite organised... lol

seven-day-weekend

The Planning Department I worked for also had records from 1948 - those from 1948-1976 were on microfiche, but were still easily accessible should anyone request them.

desperate_now

That was really helpful.
I guess afer having the buyers from hell and on the last lap (after 6 months) one becomes paranoid. At every hurdle these buyers have complained about something and asked for a reduction, maybe thats just tactics. But I assure you our house is in very good order and the decoration well done and pleasing. I realise that in a better climate things would be different.
But if there is anything else that would stop our sale I think I will scream.
Overcoming the planning stuff. Am I correct in assuming that if there was any major defect that it would be picked up by the surveyor, who incidentally found very few minor faults.
The house was built in 1935 and I wonder sometimes what people want.
Thanks again.
If anyone else knows of any good reason why I should give up speak now!!!!

desperate_now

Hi just read your last comment, yes I think sometimes solicitors and buyers are stupid and have no sense in reason.

hethmar

I think you are right - you have the buyers from hell and I think they are just looking for more reasons to drop their offer. Very best of luck.

seven-day-weekend

desparate now, in my first role in the Planning Department I dealt a lot with solicitors and other professionals as I was responsible for the Planning part of the local searches. You would be surprised how little most solicitors know about Planning.

Just do as Planning Officer says, and tell them it is now lawful and has been for about thirty years; if they want something 'in writing' do as I suggested asnd ask the Planning Department to write a letter saying so. They might charge you a tenner or so, but it is still much cheaper than any other alternative (none of which you need do).

Mags269

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who has been 'having kittens' over this sort of issue!

Richard_Webster

desparate now, in my first role in the Planning Department I dealt a lot with solicitors and other professionals as I was responsible for the Planning part of the local searches. You would be surprised how little most solicitors know about Planning.

I echo that as a conveyancer and also former local government planning solicitor!