Neighbour planning permission/building regs.

Llyllyll

Afternoon,

I have just received planning permission to have a car port erected (had to have PP as, with the extension we have had built, it takes the size of buildings not part of the original property to over 80 cubic metres).

Now being the sort of person who pays close attention to detail I have spent a long time studying the planning guidance and did the same with building regulations when we had the extension built so that I know everything has been done properly and is above board.

Now my neighbours (bless ‘em) are having an extension built that has not had either PP or BR (and I believe that both are needed as it will have residential use and they already have a garage (> 80 cubic metres) which is not part of the original property (don’t get me started on the garage conversion that hasn’t had BR either!).

Now basically I’m in a bit of a dilemma. Should I do anything about it now? Would I be doing them a favour in the long run? What would the building inspector do if he came up and couldn’t inspect certain vital elements of the build i.e. depth of the footings - as they’ve already filled them?

Thanks.

mrbadexample

Llyllyll wrote:

What would the building inspector do if he came up and couldn’t inspect certain vital elements of the build i.e. depth of the footings - as they’ve already filled them?

Well, if he had a mind to (i.e. they failed the attitude test), he'd make them take them up. :rolleyes:

Glad

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Alan_M_2

How do you know they don't have approval for it?

plumb1_2

Llyllyll wrote:

Should I do anything about it now?

Thanks.

If they choose to build without PP and not useing BR, then it will be their problem , when they come to sell, and not yours.
You could inform the Police that the village is missing 2 idiots! and you know where they are.

silvercar

plumb1 wrote:

If they choose to build without PP and not useing BR, then it will be their problem , when they come to sell, and not yours.
You could inform the Police that the village is missing 2 idiots! and you know where they are.

If they sell after the its 4 years old they will get away with it. We were buying a house with a dodgy garage conversion. Our solicitor muttered that it didn't have PP but as it was older than 4 years we couldn't be told to take it down. It also didn't have building regs. We could have asked the sellers to take out an indemnity insurance but it would be pretty useless. Basically, it was a question of live with it or pull out of buying the house.

alanobrien

They could of course apply for retrospective approval, and in my experience they are likely to get it which makes a mockery of the regs.

Col.Mastard

silvercar wrote:

If they sell after the its 4 years old they will get away with it. We were buying a house with a dodgy garage conversion. Our solicitor muttered that it didn't have PP but as it was older than 4 years we couldn't be told to take it down. It also didn't have building regs. We could have asked the sellers to take out an indemnity insurance but it would be pretty useless. Basically, it was a question of live with it or pull out of buying the house.

But how can anyone prove it's over 4 years?

wendym

The house next door to us was refused permission for an extension that would have doubled its size, but got permission for a large two storey extension that overshadows our garden, despite a Planning Officer having assured us that it would be unthinkable.

Every week something is added that is not on the agreed plan, and every time we talk to the Planning Dept they say they agree absolutely that it should not have been done, but that we must understand that it's really terribly difficult for them to tackle it now that it has been done.

They have an Enforcement Officer, who told me he loves the part of his job that involves meeting people, but really hates the enforcing part, and does his best to avoid it.

Neighbours on the other side have a collapsing wall because the foundations for the new wall have undermined it. There is not now room between the buildings to allow access, and the Planning Dept (you've guessed) say it's really very difficult etc etc.

Llyllyll

I agree that PP seems only to be a matter of paperwork these days so retrospective permissions would probably be granted. I think BR may be a different thing altogether though. When I had the inspector around when the extension was built he was like a dog with a bone and wanted every aspect of the job done to the letter (as it should be). I may phone the council anonymously and give them a 'hypothetical' scenario and see what they say.

You could inform the Police that the village is missing 2 idiots! and you know where they are.

Spot on :rotfl:, and their kids are Idiots in Waiting.

Thanks for the replies.

baldelectrician

reading this makes me amazed at the feebleness of the building regs, in England and Wales.

having been through a building regs course (for electrical installations ) and seen various local councils enforce building regs issues, there seems to be a getting away with murder scenario going on down south.

have seen a council officer make a builder re-excavate filled in foundation walls as he had not seen them prior to being filled in (he had asked to see this before it was filled in), cost the guy 2 days for 2 guys

One of my customers has a loft conversion (selling as a floored loft as no building regs approval), has found out she either has either remove entire loft conversion, and put house back the way it was, or to completely redo the loft conversion to the building regulations that apply ON THE DATE THEY SUBMIT the application.

If it is something external (like an extension) the council can order you to apply for permission, and put it back the way it was (at your cost), if permission is refused.