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garage that can't be used to store a car
Made_Without
Posts: 365 Forumite
Went round to see the place I'm hoping to buy today (yay) with the fixtures and fittings list and met the vendor who couldn't have been more helpful.
Everything seems fine and in order but.. the garage
So it turns out the garage cannot be used to keep the car in.
The vendor was surprised I hadn't been told this as she had asked the estate agent on more than one occasion to do so.
It was created about 10 years ago - but did not require planning permission. The council did come to inspect that it was all ok - and it was.
It used to be a car-port but the owner wanted to block up the space for security reasons (doesn't own a car so had no need to have it suitable for that purpose).
The garage doesn't have 4 walls - the front has a up-and-over garage door, there is a side garage wall built, the other side wall is the house wall and then at the back is a normal door and a window.
Apparently, the issue preventing it to be fit for storing a car is the side house wall. It has windows and apparently these would need to be blocked up. I also noticed the drain opening within the garage - would this be an issue too?
I am obviously a bit miffed now that I have a garage that I cannot actually store a car in. Any idea on what I would need to do to remedy this and the costs that I would need to incur?
Even if I live with it, I am worried that in the future this will be an issue for resale. People would expect the garage to be fit for storing a car.
C*F
Everything seems fine and in order but.. the garage
So it turns out the garage cannot be used to keep the car in.
The vendor was surprised I hadn't been told this as she had asked the estate agent on more than one occasion to do so.
It was created about 10 years ago - but did not require planning permission. The council did come to inspect that it was all ok - and it was.
It used to be a car-port but the owner wanted to block up the space for security reasons (doesn't own a car so had no need to have it suitable for that purpose).
The garage doesn't have 4 walls - the front has a up-and-over garage door, there is a side garage wall built, the other side wall is the house wall and then at the back is a normal door and a window.
Apparently, the issue preventing it to be fit for storing a car is the side house wall. It has windows and apparently these would need to be blocked up. I also noticed the drain opening within the garage - would this be an issue too?
I am obviously a bit miffed now that I have a garage that I cannot actually store a car in. Any idea on what I would need to do to remedy this and the costs that I would need to incur?
Even if I live with it, I am worried that in the future this will be an issue for resale. People would expect the garage to be fit for storing a car.
C*F
0
Comments
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Out of the 45 houses we viewed this year when buying at least half had garages and out of those 20 odd garages we saw 1 that was actually used as a garage, every other one was either too small (built in the 30s) or full of shelving and junk. More often than not people dont use garages as garages! However if the house youre interested in is being sold as having a garage which might push the price up and its not usable, Id be looking at knocking some cash off the price.0
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I live on a new build estate. All the houses have garages, but they're all too small to fit a car in. Well except an Ariel Atom perhaps. It doesn't seem to be the fashionable thing anymore.0
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I don't understand.
"The council did come to inspect that it was all ok - and it was." Presumably this was Building Regs?
"the issue preventing it to be fit for storing a car is the side house wall. It has windows and apparently these would need to be blocked up."
How come the council did not mention this or decline BRs?0 -
What would actually stop you putting your car in it? Would someone from the authorities come round every night to make sure? Unlikely.
Besides, blocking up the interal windows would be a simple job.0 -
I have a garage at the bottom of my drive, but I never put the car in there, these days cas dont rust as much as they used too, so the garage is better being used as a storage room or a secure shed.0
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It's probably a fire risk thing, that a car enclosed could be on fire for longer before anybody spotted it - and that window would be more likely to be burst by the fire, thus having it spread to the house more easily.
As has been said, it's not actually a garage, but if you stick your car in it then nobody's going to comment. However, if the house was sold "with garage", then that would have pushed the price up by some £££s, so you need to be looking at a reduction really. And the EA might have broken the rules about misrepresentation.0 -
The only people I know who use their garages for vehicles either have a classic car, or one or more motorbikes. Their actual everyday car goes in front of the garage.I'm not cynical I'm realistic
(If a link I give opens pop ups I won't know I don't use windows)0 -
i dont understand why you cant store the car, are you saying you are not allowed, or are you saying its too small to put the car in?0
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If there is a door from the house directly into the garage, it will have to be fire-proof.
I don't know what the other requirements are; perhaps your council planning people would or could point you in the direction of someone who does? Or if you know a builder they may be able to advise?0 -
i dont understand why you cant store the car, are you saying you are not allowed, or are you saying its too small to put the car in?
The OP is complaining about mis-leading advertising by the EA, which is pretty common.
The "garage" isn't a legal garage so even if it was big enough for the car can be stored there it shouldn't be sold as a garage.I'm not cynical I'm realistic
(If a link I give opens pop ups I won't know I don't use windows)0
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