Missing information from local searches

hayd100

[FONT=&quot]Hi[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Following the purchase of our property we have recently been made aware of some alarming information regarding a refused planning application.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Two weeks to the day we completed we received a letter from the local Planning Enforcement Team indicating there had been a refusal on a planning application to change the garage into a separate dwelling. This information was not picked up in the local searches and would of made a difference to whether we purchased.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]We have now resolved the issue with the local planners as we have permission for a hobbies room with predates the other application. Although this does not allow us to use as accommodation. [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]It has been upsetting and had a massive impact on our plans as we had intended to make a similar application. [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Do we have any grounds for compensation for loss of opportunity? [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Hope someone can help, thanks[/FONT]

bris

No, You should have made your own inquiries with the council for the likely hood of making it a separate dwelling.
The vendor does not know your plans for the building and sold it with no promises of a separate dwelling therefore have no liability to you for it.

You should speak to your solicitor to find out why the information was not available to him/her, if indeed he/she even needed to search for it.
Normally though if you have plans for changing a buildings use, you get the planning before purchase not after.

hayd100

We are not that worried about the change of use but thought we may have the chance in the future.
The fact you pay a search company to find all information out and they failed to provide it all must mean they have failed in their obligations?
We have no issue with the vendor who we were in contact with through out the sale.