Indemnity Insurance

russellm72

Hi,

Looking for some advice and hope someone can point me in the right direction.

We recently moved into an extended bungalow which the solicitor told me had an indemnity policy in place to cover the fact the extension was undertaken seemingly with no planning permission. Now I know the neighbour here, as he works at the same place as me, and he said the extension was done 12-15 years ago. Now from what I believe the indemnity policy will cover you for losses if the council were to demand it were taken down. I also don't know how likely this is owing to the age of the extension. Now my question is this..........................................................................

We currently have a horrible gas fire in the back lounge area (part of the extension) with a flue going up through the roof forming a nice chimney. We want to replace the fire with a multi-burn stove but have been told the chimney will need to be extended by about 1M. Now the fire is on an outside wall and the chimney is not like a traditional brick chimney but more like a metal tube. Now I know we live in a non pollution control area but believe I need planning permission for this chimney extension. Can you see the question coming???? Ok now the room in question is already covered by the aforementioned indemnity policy so I don't really want to go approaching the council. If I am correct, please say if I'm not, if I approach the council about this issue and they find the extension has no PP and tell me to rip it down, the indemnity policy will become worthless. So, if I was just to put the chimney in would it be covered by the policy as well or will I need to take out another indemnity policy to cover just the chimney extension???

I can't see the neighbours minding this as they probably wont see it and i will not be burning nasty old fashioned fuel types. I hope to burn seldomnly good quality logs or better anthracite which produces little emissions. I think it'll be a nice feature to the room but would like to open up this issue for advice.

Thanks in advance.

Russell.

silvercar

The extension may never have needed PP, it could have been within permitted development. Even if it needed PP, as long as 4 years have passed, there is nothing the council can do.

you can't put the chimney in and then take out a policy immediately, especially as you are the one who will have deliberately broken the rules.

Ask the council on a "no name basis" whether you need PP and/ or building regs. If you do need PP then you may have to apply for it. 1m is high enough for a stroppy neighbour to notice and phone the council.