Legitimacy of garage and conservatory?

VickyA_2

We've had an offer accepted on a property which has a garage and smallish conservatory. No survey or searches have been done on the property yet, but we've discovered that the garage doesn't have planning permission because it's a "temporary structure" (sort of a "lean to"). The current owner put this "temporary structure" up 3 years ago. How temporary is temporary? If you know what I mean.................. I believe that we're paying a premium because it has a garage.

There's also a small conservatory on the back of the property, which has concrete foundations and brick base. Again, no planning permission because it's a temporary structure.

Having had our fingers burnt on two prevoius properties (surveys and searches completed but the vendors pulled out because they didn't want to sell :rolleyes:), we're rather wary of anything with a front door and windows.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Pauper_Princess

VickyA - I think generally a garage or conservatory doesn't need planning but it depends on a few things. We needed PP for our garage as there's a public highway that runs at the back of the house and the garage "brought the original structure closer to a public highway". Mostly though if the garden backs onto another garden you should be okay. I think.

Don't sue me though

Optimist

You can always ask your local council. Or if you hang on another year it will be exempt from enforcement action from the councils planning dept.

ArchieB_2

May or may not need planning permission but does need a letter to say you don't need planning permission, same goes for building regs and/or permission from the developer.

If everybody crossed the t's and dotted the i's when they made changes to their property then moves would go a lot smoother. Take out unscrupulous EA's only interested in ££££ and not clients and the whole process would be 50% easier.

stphnstevey

You can also sometimes get 'retrospective' planning permission.

lilyann1

We have a conservatory that need planning permission only because live on a new build estate that had all the permitted development rights taken away when the house was built.
We were told in general that it didn't need PP or Building regs if it was under 30m2.
Again with the garage if it is not a permanent structure then it probably wouldn't need PP.
If it needs building regs when it comes to it the solicitors will pick it up and the vendors will have to get Building control round and pay for them to agree it.But it shouldn't be a problem