Extensions & Planning Permissions

MJMum

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spunkeyrich

Could get retrispective consent. which is consent from the council after something has changed. as you say if its a long time ago there should not be a problem. However, i would say it needs to get sorted before you buy at the sellers expense as it may effect your mortage application. Any relelvent paperwork should have been passed to your solicitor.

Have a chat with them see what they think.

rich

sham63

The best way to put your mind at rest regarding the extensions would be to go to the Planning Department yourself and ask. All Planning Departments have public counters which you can call into without appointment (contact them to check opening times) The Admin staff or 'duty planning officer' will be able to search the Planning Register for you and tell you if & when planning permission was granted. You will also be able to purchase copies of the approvals.

By the way, once an extension has been up for over 4 years it becomes immune from enforcement action (eg the Council will not be able to make you alter or remove it).

So it sounds like your'e OK.

Doozergirl

If the extension is that old, then there is no need for planning permission to be in place. I think your pink bath is the giveaway! The council can only persue you for up to four years after the building was erected, therefore lack of paperwork is not a problem.

Someone will probably mention indemnity insurance at some point, which is entirely pointless as it indemnifies you against legal action that can't happen. So I wouldn't pay out for it, but of the vendor wants to, then I wouldn't exactly refuse. It saves the question even arising when you come to sell.

Personally, I would be happy as long as your building surveyor is happy that it is structurally sound.

MJMum

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mrsc_4

Your story sounds simular to ours, we completed on a converted bungalow in December, there is a single storey rear extension and the loft converted into 2 bedrooms this work was done in 1979/1980. I found out by calling the planning office that there was no planning permission. I was then told off by our solicitor for doing so because I had invalidated any possible indemnity insurance, fortunately for me I work alongside a surveyor who advised me the whole way though as I don't know what we would have done otherwise.

In end end our vendor paid for an indemnity insurance so we are covered should we want to sell on in the future, incidentally none of this was picked up when she had brought the property 9 years ago.

We've moved in and everything seems fine (touch wood and all that) and we can see there is a RSJ in the downstairs extension which is reassuring (we only had a valuation report)

Good luck with your purchase I'm sure that everything will be fine.