Extremely worried over old rear extension !

Mags269

Hi - PLEASE !! can someone put my mind at rest? We bought our detached house over 6 years ago. The house was originally built and lived in by the builder himself around 1970. I understand that he himself in the mid 1980's first added a small extension to expand the size of the kitchen, and soon after added a rear extension (not sure of the actual size, but would hazzard a guess of a normal garage-size) which joined up to the side kitchen extension. Very soon after it was bought by the owners whom we in turn bought from. Now my problem is that this extension isn't shown any any of the plans relating to the house when we bought it - i.e. land registry. I've even checked my local council's internet site to view details of my town's properties, and everything only seems to show the plan of the house as it was orignally built. Unfortunately at the time of us buying our house, our solicitor was nothing short of useless. Any query or question directed to her would produce a vague response to say the least. Initially she contacted me to say she couldn't find planning records for the extension, but that the vendors would pay "a fee". Then sometime after she called me to say that "the reason I can't find planning records is because there isn't any" ( ! ) I seem to recall that she said we would have to "agree on not moving again". Unfortunately I so desperately wanted this house I agreed without informing my husdand! Now I am genuinely sick with worry over what I've done. I did try to raise problem with hubby a few years, ago only to be told "don't worry, the builder originally built the house itself, he knew what he was doing". Actually although the extension is now over 20 years old, it seems extremely sound and apart from the flat roof occasionally leaking (it's still the original one), we've never had a problem with it. My question is - I realise that the council cannot now ask us to demolish it, but would we be able to request "retrospective planning permission?" - I'm just worried that without us having something in place, we ourselves would be unable to sell. Can somebody PLEASE put my mind at rest? ! !

m_13

Your solicitor sounds useless! Were you provided with a indemnity policy by the previous owner against any action against the extensions? Did your solicitor suggest you took out a policy?

Whilst I don't think that you could be made to take it down, I think it will cause you problems when selling. If you made an insurance claim you could also have problems if they said the extension wasn't built correctly, for example.

You can go for retrospective planning but not retrospective building regs.

Mags269

You know for the life of me, I cannot remember exactly what "useless" solicitor said, although I can definitely also be described as useless! I'm sure she didn't mention a policy of sorts, but some time before I think, we were waiting for the vendors to pay a charge of some sorts, but genuinely cannot remember what it was. Sorry about how terribly vague this sounds. I have obviously given myself something real to worry about, haven't I?

RLH33

Just spotted this - you have done a double post - please see the other one for the advice I, and others, have given.