Loft conversion - safe to contact the council?

sirgypsalot

Hi - We've just purchased a house that has a converted loft, which we know hasn't got building regs. approval (& managed to factor that into the price!)

I'd like to get an estimate of what would be involved in getting it up to building regs retrospectively, but I'm worried about contacting the council BCO incase they can demand alterations be made..
(If works are really extensive then we'll just keep it as 'storage')

I was wondering if anyone can advise on if it's safe to get BCO advice without being mandated to do corrective work?

Alternatively is it best to approach an architect/builder for a quote on getting it up to standard to meet building regs.?

Any help appreciated!
N

poppysarah

Get a builder in to give you a quote ...

McKneff

Do you know its not up to regs now if so how.

sirgypsalot

We know it's not up to reg's because it came up during the purchase process - they advised us they couldn't produce a certificate & we used this as leverage on reducing the price.

It has been insulated, and there is a firewall built, however from reading around I suspect what still needs doing is:

• Strengthening of floor joists
• Wired smoke alarms
• Something to improve fire access (ladder from the velux window perhaps??)
• Better ladder/stair access

But..it might be a while before we can afford to do all that, so just wanted to make sure the council can't enforce us to do it now if we got in touch!!

sonastin

I think if the council came to inspect and saw, for example, a bed up there along with dressing table with make up and perfume and what have you, then you would be hard pushed to claim "we use it as storage at the moment but are considering turning it into a room"!

On the other hand, if you contact the council with the full story "we bought it knowing it isn't yet signed off but want to get it regularised -what do we need to do" and they come and inspect a room which is (so far) only storing boxes, it is unlikely that they will take enforcement action against you as there is nothing to enforce. If they are anything like the council inspectors I am dealing with, unless you give them reason to think you've started work bringing it up to code, they'll probably never come out to see you again. There is always the possibility that they could show up for an inspection and find you're bedroom furniture up there before you've carried out any work though...

Nixer

McKneff wrote: »

Do you know its not up to regs now if so how.

You can often spot them in EA listings, where for example it's listed as a 2 bed bungalow and the particulars say "loft room" as well as the 2 beds. That's usually a clue. I think the EA is not allowed to describe it as a 3 bedroom house because if it's not built in accordance with building regs you aren't supposed to sleep in there.

My friends live in a 2 bed victorian house which also has a loft room. They use it for storage and as a study - although I'm not sure whether you are supposed to use the room for anything other than storage.

poppysarah

Nixer wrote: »

My friends live in a 2 bed victorian house which also has a loft room. They use it for storage and as a study - although I'm not sure whether you are supposed to use the room for anything other than storage.

Sleeping in a loft room is an issue - if it's not very easy to get out of them you might end up cooking or being smoked to death....

Nixer

poppysarah wrote: »

Sleeping in a loft room is an issue - if it's not very easy to get out of them you might end up cooking or being smoked to death....

Yes I know you can't sleep in them for precisely the reason that you gave, but I was wondering whether you're only allowed to store stuff in them or whether you can use them for short periods e.g studying or watching tv. Yes if there was a fire when studying you'd probably be no more able to get out than if you were sleeping, but even if you're nipping up to find something you've stored you're still at risk. Just wondered if there are any regs about what you can and cannot do.