Annex planning breach??

mr_badcrumble

We are currently looking to move house with my elderly father, and have found the ideal one with a separate two bed annex which was converted 5 years ago from a large garage and loose boxes. Our surveyor has picked up that they have breached a planning condition that the annex was not to be self-contained, althought the vendors have indemnity insurance, he suggests that the 4 year planning rule may get around this breach. The easiest way would be to contact the council but dont want to start waving red flags to the authorities if I dont have to.
Any comments would be greatly appreciated!!

dander

I think if it were me I would probably accept the indemnity insurance and keep quiet. I imagine a planning condition like that is to prevent the annex being used as a wholey separate house and rented out or something like that. Seeing as you, presumably, want to move your father in there, you won't be doing anything to rile up the neighbours and cause anyone to report the matter, so it will probably continue to fly under the radar.

mr_badcrumble

Thanks for input, but the indemnity insurance may well cover costs of changing the annex back to what should have been built, but that may mean my father cant actually live in it which does defeat the object of what we are looking for. He is 79 and stress like this needs to be avoided!!

DVardysShadow

mr_badcrumble wrote: »

Thanks for input, but the indemnity insurance may well cover costs of changing the annex back to what should have been built, but that may mean my father cant actually live in it which does defeat the object of what we are looking for. He is 79 and stress like this needs to be avoided!!

Is it not possible to have a contingency plan to put a doorway in?