Connection to annex?

onestep

hi all

We moved into our house 3 years ago. It has an 'annex', a one bed detached bungalow, that my parents will live in when they get old and decrepit . We're with Welsh Water, and have received a letter from them saying that the annex has an unauthorised water connection, which we must correct. We had no idea this was the case; it hadn't shown up on any of the searches when we bought the property. My questions are - do we really have to pay for the bungalow to have a separate connection? How much is it likely to be? Can we specify a meter? The bungalow is empty, and will be for the foreseeable future - although if this connection is going to cost loads we may have to rent it out to cover the costs

They are threatening legal action. I'd appreciate any help/guidance.

onestep

Cardew

How do you define annex?

It depends if the bungalow is part of your property for Council Tax etc. For instance if you converted detached stables or a barn they would normally be part of the main house and not properties 'in their own right' i.e.not have a their own identity with Council Tax and could be not be sold separately.

If you are metered, it is a whole new ball game

onestep

hi

the bungalow is charged separately for council tax, but it's a confused situation .. I think the initial planning consent was granted on the basis that it was an annex, and not to be sold separately etc. On that basis, should we be paying council tax at all? Ugh.. so confusing. The previous owners rented out the bungalow, and tenants paid the council tax. As planning permission is not clearcut, we haven't wanted to rent it out; I think we'd have to apply for change of use to legally do so?

To return to the original subject, the water supply to our house is not metered.

Cardew

I think having a separate council tax is the problem.

I have a detached annex, but it is part of my property for council tax purposes - as it was when Rateable Value charging was in force. Hence I don't pay separate council tax or water charges but I cannot sell the annex separately or rent it out with a lease(not that we want to) but it could be 'rented' as a holiday cottage(not that we want to)

To a certain extent you can see Welsh Water's point of view. One house in, say, a terrace of houses could pay for unmetered water and feed water to all the other houses unofficially.

I am not sure if the council would re-incorporate your annex back into your property as 'change of use'. However that might have Council Tax banding implications and the water company might insist both properties were metered(they can insist on major alterations)

On the other hand would the water company simply be happy if the existing supply to the annex was metered - if not used the charges would not be high.

onestep

I do see what you mean.

So my next question is should I ring the water company and ask if they'll just come and fit a meter to the supply to the annex? Could it possibly be that simple??

onestep

and a side issue - how come you can't rent out your annex with a lease, but could rent it out as a holiday let? It's a possibility we're thinking about..

Gothicfairy

From a builders/ new connections view I would say that they do need the annex to be metered with it's own supply as they are seeing it as a new build or a 50% change. change of use also comes into that.

A meter is the only option with regards to charging but the main issue might turn out to be the supply rather then the billing

onestep

Thanks Gothicfairy - You think it's the supply that's the issue? So you think I do need to arrange for a new connection from the road (where the mains water supply is) to the bungalow? Any idea what that's going to cost? We're set back from the road
And if we do that, then we might as well apply for change of use, so that we can at least rent it out to recoup the cost

Cardew

onestep wrote: »

and a side issue - how come you can't rent out your annex with a lease, but could rent it out as a holiday let? It's a possibility we're thinking about..

A lease conveys rights to the tenant. It would be like someone leasing their front bedroom. You will not have a problem because your annex is not really an annex but a bungalow you own.

So my next question is should I ring the water company and ask if they'll just come and fit a meter to the supply to the annex? Could it possibly be that simple??

That would be worth trying.

Cardew

onestep wrote: »

Thanks Gothicfairy - You think it's the supply that's the issue? So you think I do need to arrange for a new connection from the road (where the mains water supply is) to the bungalow? Any idea what that's going to cost? We're set back from the road

There should be no objection to taking the supply from your water main at a convenient point; even that really shouldn't be that expensive.

Gothicfairy

If it were me I would call the water company and ask for a meter (play blonde and make all nice and cute and you know nothing about nothing but would like them to come and see) as they "might" be happy with just fitting a meter and nothing else but at least you would then know.

As for a new connection: you might not need to go back to the road anyway, all they really need is to find a place that the properties can be split without one paying for the other one, if your water company will not fit a meter due to the supply I would ask them first about a new connection as they have nothing to gain (they can not make more then OFWAT agreed profit for the 5 years anyway so there is no benefit to over charging you)
They will give you a price and details but you will not have to go with them so really it is a no harm situation.