Property Questionnaire and decking

Haylescom

Good evening everyone, hope you're not being blown about out there!

I have just received my property questionnaire for selling my house and have got to the question about decking. It asks whether the property has any decking that is more than 30cm and covers more than 50 per cent of the garden area. It then asks about planning permission.

My decking is the full lengtg of the garden but was installed before I moved in (July 2007) which, if I am correct, was before any regulations on planning permission were introduced (October 2008). I have no proof that it was installed prior to me moving in! I can envisage this causing me problems as there is obviously no planning permission...any thoughts?

SmlSave

Answer honestly and see if you have any time stamped pictures of when you bought, they might be useful.

If the solicitor makes it an issue they'll just want an indemnity policy.

Haylescom

Thanks SMLsave. I haven't got any pictures of the garden other than those taken by the EA to sell the property for us; I've never liked the garden so didn't take any pictures! We'll just have to see what the solicitor says.

AnotherJoe

The fact you answer negatively isn't necessarily an issue its up to the buyer. I answered several questions on my last house sale with "don't know" or "don't have that" and it was up to the buyers whether to accept it not.
If your buyers want an indemnity that will cost you, you can always say no. It's not as if it's extension or something irreversible. End of the day they can rip the decking up if they don't like it.
So I'd just put down it was installed when you moved in in 2007 and you have no record of any planning permission and leave it like that and if asked, tell them if they aren't happy they can remove it unless you are desperate to sell in which case you'll have to do whatever they want.

Davesnave

I doubt if any lack of planning permission for something so old could be enforced, even if the council was overflowing with funds and had nothing better to do.

It's a red herring. Answer honestly and don't take nonsense about it from anyone.

Haylescom

We're selling as a part exchange to a developer who've already got a buyer for our house. I will do an indemnity, just hope it's affordable (!), although I'm hoping the fact the decking has been here nearly 9 years without any issues from the council or neighbourly complaints will go in our favour.

I've always hated this horrid decking and now it's trying to bite me in the preverbial! With that, broken heating and a stroppy washing machine (that's staying as part of the sale), I'll be glad when I've moved!

prosaver

Haylescom wrote: »

Good evening everyone, hope you're not being blown about out there!

I have just received my property questionnaire for selling my house and have got to the question about decking. It asks whether the property has any decking that is more than 30cm and covers more than 50 per cent of the garden area. It then asks about planning permission.

My decking is the full lengtg of the garden but was installed before I moved in (July 2007) which, if I am correct, was before any regulations on planning permission were introduced (October 2008). I have no proof that it was installed prior to me moving in! I can envisage this causing me problems as there is obviously no planning permission...any thoughts?

google earth will know :beer:

Haylescom

Prosaver when I moved in the Google Earth pictures were pre-decking, they didn't get updated for a while after that...

DaftyDuck

Do you still have a copy of the agent's details from when you bought? Does the internet (Zoopla, for example). You could always ask the agent themselves.

Haylescom

The images on zoopla are of the current sale, the old ones disappeared some time this month. I'm pretty sure there were no pictures of the garden as it wasn't finished when we went to view so would've been a mess! Worth asking though.
They could always ask the neighbours!

KRB2725

If you look at sold house prices on Rightmove, they often have the pictures from the last sale up when you click on the entry.