When is a loft room, not a room?

Sensible_Jess

Thank to all replies so far.

I heard about this house via some friends before it went on the market, so no estate agents have been involved in the purchase.

The house value is priced at the very top end of the market. A house in the same road in not sich good decorative order, but with a larger south facing garden and an extra bedroom is on the market for 25K less.

I took the price to reflect that little or no work needed doing to the house. Indeed, it appears to be done to a high decorative standard and the kitchen / bathroom are nearly new, with a new two-storey extension (2008, WITH planning consent etc). However, since my survey now highlights that there are severe damp concerns within certain parts of the house, the boiler is an old back boiler and need replacing and a few other things, I had expected to be able to negotiate these unexpected costs with the sellers. (Isn't that what you do?)

Not to mention that the lack of building regulation consent for the loft conversion means that the council can insist that it is returned to its original state (window removed etc) or made good.
Reading about this further elsewhere on the net, I gather that the latter may not even be possible due to the low floor to ceiling height which, I fear is why it is how it is in the first place and has no certificate. I suspect the present owner, being a builder, knows this, which is why they are refusing permission for me to instruct a builder to look at the room and give me an estimate for costs to make it right.

When we talked about the loft room initially, the owners said that they weren't describing it as an extra bedroom 'as it is so small'. No other reason given. I don't think that it was unreasonable if me to expect that the loft had been converted properly, given its current use as a bedroom / office and there is a Velux window installed, plus a permanent staircase leading up to it. It's not like it was a lean to on the side of the house or a converted shed at the bottom of the garden!

I'm just so disappointed, it seemed like a great house and I was prepared to be flexible, but there appears to be no resolution and it's not worth the full price as it currently stands. Just wish I now wasn't nearly 2K out of pocket

rictus123

Dont think theres anything even i(as a builder) can add.

Thrugelmir

Using an EA when a purchaser does have benefits at times.

Sensible_Jess

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Using an EA when a purchaser does have benefits at times.

I agree - but after losing out on at least four purchases so far as I wasn't quick enough or was out bid (one house went to closed bids) I thought this was THE one and I was lucky to get it before it went on the market!

Thrugelmir

Sensible_Jess wrote: »

I agree - but after losing out on at least four purchases so far as I wasn't quick enough or was out bid (one house went to closed bids) I thought this was THE one and I was lucky to get it before it went on the market!

So many pit falls when buying houses. Never let your heart rule your head I say.

Fire_Fox

Think of it this way, you have learned something very important about buildings regulations and why they are important, which could save you from making a much more costly mistake in the future.

FilthyLuka

To convert a loft it is almost always necessary to re-arrange the supporting struts and purlins in the existing roof and provide alternative adequate support. Even worse if the loft converted was a truss style roof.

More often than not in illegal conversions the original supports are removed to create the floor area but adequate alternative supports are not provided.

As a result the roof may well be unsafe and cost you a significant amount to make safe or replace. The cost of the property should be the normal market rate for a similar unaltered house less the cost of fixing the roof. IMO it it worth less than a comparable house due to the liability of the bodged roof

I would ask myself the question 'If the 'builder' had converted it to a proper standard why would he not have had it inspected and approved?' I would think that the answer may well be that significant corners have been cut

Bear in mind that if you did proceed and buy the property that you would have similar problems in the future when you eventually come to sell, many people would walk away from a bodged property