Planning and Regs - HELP!

thejoyces

Hi

We are in the process of selling and the solicitor has asked if we have the following - not that they have been asked but wanted to know anyway.

Do we have building Regs Approval and Completion Certificate?

We had a garage built 3 years ago - which was on the original plans of the house and still in the timescale so we did apply for planning and was approved but the planning had already approved the plans for the garage with the builder - new build property and you had an option to buy the garage they were charging silly money or not, we didn't and later had one built by local builders (weekend work) anyway as it was already approved and there is not electric to the garage should we have got building regs and if so can you do it retro?

Starting to panic abit now as the process has to be completed by 13th April and this could really slow things down

Any advice greatly received.

The Joyces

silvercar

Phone the council and ask them. Chances are the original planning permission still stood so you should have got an inspection when the work was completed. You can still get an inspection done now - though it may need to comply with current building regulations. Failing that you can take out indemnity insurance if your buyers are worried (not all will be). This insures you for the difference in value of the property with and without the garage IF the council insisted you took it down. Once its been in place for 4 years you can't be asked to remove it anyway so I wouldn't worry too much.

jennifernil

Planning permission and a Building Warrant are 2 different things . Planning permission may have already been granted for a garage, but a building warrant specific to the construction that was to be carried out is usually also required. The Completion Certificate relates to the Building Warrant and confirms that it has been built correctly.
Unless you get this sorted it could delay the sale.

windym_2

Do I understand that the building regs request is in relation to the garage. If so, if the garage is less than 30 square meters it is exempt from building regs. If not, then it must have them, despite having no electricity. If it had building regs and was signed off, then you will have a completion certificate (or should have). Hope that helps.