Permitted Development?

snowmaid

As I have mentioned we are looking to buy a house with a loft conversion which is used as a master bedroom.

I have just done a planning permission search and it does mention the loft conversion status as 'Decision- Found to be permitted development on 19/07/2004.

What does that mean? Other planning permission says 'decision approved'.

Anyone?

seven-day-weekend

It means that someone has applied for a ruling on whether the loft conversion is lawfully erected ( edited to add -under Planning Rules) , and that is the decision - Permitted Development, therefore it did not need Planning Permission.

Perfecly legal and definitely to your advantage to have a formal decision saying it is PD!

snowmaid

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

It means that someone has applied for a ruling on whether the loft conversion is lawfully erected , and that is the decision - Permitted Development, therefore it did not need Planning Permission.

Perfecly legal and definitely to your advantage to have a formal decision saying it is PD!

OOOOOOHhhhhhhhh YYYYYYYAAAAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!!!!! :T :T

I have been worried about the loft conversion that is used as a master bedroom, i.e. whether it conforms to building regs etc, does that mean building regs etc are all ok then???

seven-day-weekend

Building Regs are different to Planning Permission.

You would need to get in touch with Building Control at the local Council.

snowmaid

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Building Regs are different to Planning Permission.

You would need to get in touch with Building Control at the local Council.

What would I ask them?

christinereilly

just Call the building control department at your local council, give them the address, tell them the work (referr to the permitted development details you mention), and ask them if they have a record of building control approval.

Usually the building control guy does a visiit and check that all work is completed satisfactorily, providing it is they sign it off and will keep a record of this. Your just need to know if this visit was done and approval was granted.

If not you can get it done in arrears but it costs.
Good luck,

snowmaid

christinereilly wrote: »

just Call the building control department at your local council, give them the address, tell them the work (referr to the permitted development details you mention), and ask them if they have a record of building control approval.

Usually the building control guy does a visiit and check that all work is completed satisfactorily, providing it is they sign it off and will keep a record of this. Your just need to know if this visit was done and approval was granted.

If not you can get it done in arrears but it costs.
Good luck,

Oh gawd, wouldn't I risk opening a can of worms for the owner if the guy hasn't been around?!?!? The owners have said that I am welcome to view the papers they have for the loft, what would I need to look for to see if the building guy was around?

seven-day-weekend

AFAIK, if the work is over two years old, Building Control can't take any action even if it hasn't got the required papers.

If the work was signed off, fine, they will have a copy of this which you can purchase. If not, you can either get it done retrospectively (as mentioned above), or you could maybe ask them for a letter saying that the development is out of time for any action to be taken.

I hasten to add I don't know all the Regulations for Building Control, as I worked in Planning, but I think the above is correct.

snowmaid

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

AFAIK, if the work is over two years old, Building Control can't take any action even if it hasn't got the required papers.

If the work was signed off, fine, they will have a copy of this which you can purchase. If not, you can either get it done retrospectively (as mentioned above), or you could maybe ask them for a letter saying that the development is out of time for any action to be taken.

I hasten to add I don't know all the Regulations for Building Control, as I worked in Planning, but I think the above is correct.

If there are no building regs, will it be a problem as far as insurance is concerned or later down the line when I want to sell? This is my main worry.

seven-day-weekend

snowmaid wrote: »

Oh gawd, wouldn't I risk opening a can of worms for the owner if the guy hasn't been around?!?!? The owners have said that I am welcome to view the papers they have for the loft, what would I need to look for to see if the building guy was around?

Lots of people confuse Planning Permission and Building Regulations, and having got the formal decision that the loft conversion was PD for Planning, the people might have assumed that it was the same for B. Regs. It is worth making sure you have some sort of official document for Building Regs, (even if only a letter to say it is out of time for Enforcement action to be taken), and then you will have had the conversion properly formalised.

seven-day-weekend

snowmaid wrote: »

If there are no building regs, will it be a problem as far as insurance is concerned or later down the line when I want to sell? This is my main worry.

It shouldn't be providing you have some sort of formal document (even if only a letter as mentioned above).

It may be perfectly OK anyway, they may have had the work passed off fine and if the document is not in the owner's possession, you can purchase one from the Council.