Someone has applied for planning permission on my home

donglefan

Any advice about how best to deal with this would be welcome.

I am currently living 100 miles from my home while a large amount of insurance repairs are done on it. I am not well off but hope to be able to stay afloat and not have to sell what is the lovely childhood home I inherited in disrepair. Although it's not for sale, almost every time I vist I have several offers to buy.

A neighbour asked me today about "the planning application to build an extension on the side." This was the first I knew of it.

Can it be legal for someone to have done this?
What can I do about it?
I have not seen the application and don't know who has made it. Presumably these people have been trespassing in the garden as well.

seven-day-weekend

Anyone is allowed to make a planning application for any piece of land.

However, even if it is granted, they would need your permission to actually build the extension as it is your home!

It's probably a speculative application, which, if passed , the applicant may want to try to buy the house from you.

I would write to the relevant planning authority pointing out that you are the owner, as the applicant should have served a notice of their intention on you.

As it is, they have probably given the application in with the notice of 'owner unknown' on it.

Your response will render the application invalid.

donglefan

SDW, thank you. It sounds as though I can rest easy.

clutton_2

you can look this application up on your local council website - plannign dept - and you will then see who has made it.

Bossyboots

donglefan wrote:

SDW, thank you. It sounds as though I can rest easy.

They will be increasing the value of your home if it is granted as if you were inclined to sell, it would have the benefit of approved planning permission. Bear that in mind next time someone makes you an offer so you don't get cheated if you reach a position where you are going to sell. I am sure the speculator will be one of the people offering to buy the property. Keep on your toes.

noyk

might be worth checking the land registry as well to see if they have added a notice of interest (i think it's called) on your property. Again anyone can do this AFAIK. Out of interest why don't you sell, people need places to live - it's obviously a high demand area and if your not living in it, it's just going to waste.

rsykes2000

noyk wrote:

Out of interest why don't you sell, people need places to live - it's obviously a high demand area and if your not living in it, it's just going to waste.

From original post "I am currently living 100 miles from my home while a large amount of insurance repairs are done on it."

Which to me reads they are going to be living there at some point in the future.

donglefan

Hello, yes I do intend to live there when the insurance work is completed - I am flat-sharing at the mo, so it will be lovely to have my own house.

I checked the website suggested about planning applications and couldn't find my house listed, so perhaps in too early a stage or the local council is not being efficient.

What does now concern me is if someone has registered a 'notice of interest' on my house a the land registry as you suggest they might. I went to the land registry site but couldn't see a way of checking this.
From the little I have heard about this, if someone registers an interest in an uninhabited house, the reason for that is that they hope to claim it as their own several years down the line. Would there be any other reason for their having done this? The house is obviously not going to ruin as there are builders there (admittedly all too seldom...)

Thank you for your time.

tifnstav

If you have inherited the property then it might not be registered at the Land Reg. Give them a call, they can be extremely helpful.
AFAIK means as far as i know.
Also, there are several reasons why people have an interest in property, you are thinking of adverse possession (squatters rights), which can only happen after 12 years, so you shouldn't really worry about this at the moment!
You are having the work done so its very unlikely that someone else is going to be able to prove all the requirements for adverse possession.
My fiance's parents recently had a problem with a neighbour attempting to claim their garden but the Land Reg use their common sense in these matters.

ahll

As you have inherited the house are you sure it is registered in your name with the Land Rigistry...

tiger

are u sure your neighbour has not made some sort of mistake.it sound very strange what u are saying.surely someone cant just do that.confirm first that its u r house that is been talked about