Help! How Do I Build An Extension On A Flat?

GDB2222

propertyman wrote: »

At the risk of belabouring the point that is not what they should do.

Buying the flat involves an understanding if the garden is theirs and if so are they free to do with it as they please, or the scope of restriction the lease and any restrictive covenant on either FH or LH titles may my put on it.

They start with demise and use, the scope of the landlords control and not only costs, but in some cases a premium for granting consent based on a % of the increased value for flat + extension, and only then can they think about planning and costs.

To be a little cavalier about it an offer can be made to buy as offered for sale, and if accepted, within a week a local general practice chartered surveyor should be able to inspect, read the leases via HMLR, and make personal enquiries at the local planning office. That then gives you a firm basis on whether to proceed, at risk,or withdraw. The vendor may be upset....

Yes, I wasn't suggesting buying it without looking at the legal docs or asking the planners about it. However, going through the whole process of getting planning and all the consents is going to take ages, and as Webster says the vendor will sell the flat to someone else - possibly with the benefit of the OP's research.

kmmr

propertyman wrote: »

At the risk of belabouring the point that is not what they should do.

Buying the flat involves an understanding if the garden is theirs and if so are they free to do with it as they please, or the scope of restriction the lease and any restrictive covenant on either FH or LH titles may my put on it.

They start with demise and use, the scope of the landlords control and not only costs, but in some cases a premium for granting consent based on a % of the increased value for flat + extension, and only then can they think about planning and costs.

To be a little cavalier about it an offer can be made to buy as offered for sale, and if accepted, within a week a local general practice chartered surveyor should be able to inspect, read the leases via HMLR, and make personal enquiries at the local planning office. That then gives you a firm basis on whether to proceed, at risk,or withdraw. The vendor may be upset....

Yes - agreed you should do what you can before you buy, but some elements you will only be able to do after.

I had bought the place when I started with permissions, but I did buy it wiht the extension in mind. Like the OP I didn't really want the place if I couldn't extend, so I found out what I could, and took a calculated risk with the rest.

Pre sale:

• Check garden is demised and exclusive. Check for Rights of Way
• Check any restrictions on use.
• Check depth of ownership. This concept of only owning 18inches in new to me.
• Find out about the freeholder. I think this is KEY, as they do hold a lot of power. I knew the freeholder wasn't overly interested in the property as he was an individual and was keen to sell the whole freehold. I suspect if it was a company who makes money out of these things it would be a different story. I looked at a neighbours planning permission online, and they had to pay £5k in 1993 to their freeholder. (Oh, there you go, another example for you Timmyt!)
• Look for planning applications that have been approved/rejected in the local area
• Have a quiet word with the planning office

Post sale

• Cross fingers for planning permission
• Start to butter up the neighbours.
• Save!

Yorkie1

If I was an upstairs neighbour who currently looked out onto a garden area, I don't think I'd be best pleased about proposals to build an extension which completely took away my view.