No planning permission for garage built before 84 - not an issue?

Lj0918

Currently buying a house. Sellers are acting as personal representatives and don't have much info about the garage extension other than it was built prior to when the vendors purchased in 1984, they don't have any planning permission/building regs approval docs. Property is freehold. Have asked sols if there's anything we can ask for as a backup e.g. indemnity insurance.

Don't think we're particularly worried about this, sols don't seem to be. Should we be? Is there potential risks we may not have thought about?

Any comments/advice appreciated

Lj0918

...it's attached to the house rather than being detached if that makes any scrap of difference!

davidmcn

I wouldn't worry about anything over 20 years old.

edwink

Lj0918 wrote: »

Currently buying a house. Sellers are acting as personal representatives and don't have much info about the garage extension other than it was built prior to when the vendors purchased in 1984, they don't have any planning permission/building regs approval docs. Property is freehold. Have asked sols if there's anything we can ask for as a backup e.g. indemnity insurance.
Don't think we're particularly worried about this, sols don't seem to be. Should we be? Is there potential risks we may not have thought about?
Any comments/advice appreciated

I vaguely remember we had this situation when we were selling our house back in 1990. Yes selling our house not buying it. The planning/building regs question did not arise when we purchased the house.

The question regarding planning for our garage came up through our vendors solicitor. If I remember correctly because this garage had been there for over 21 years it was not a problem re planning/building regs. But to be on the safe side we did take out an indemnity insurance as advised by our solicitor which cost £48 then just to make sure everything would be ok with it later on.

HTH

Edwink

Davesnave

Planning is irrelevant after 4 years and it's unlikely building regs applied at the time, even if attached to the house.

Seriously, who do you think will come and check out the construction of this garage when councils are already too busy and cash-strapped to do more important things?

Indemnity insurance? There's probably more chance of it being hit by a meteorite!

Doozergirl

Not a problem. It could have been built under permitted development at the time anyway but it's so far out of any enforcement period it would be silly to worry. Building regulations don't apply to garages.

Forget it. Get on with buying it.

societys_child

Yup, indemnity insurance would be a complete waste of money.

Lj0918

Thanks all! Echoing our thoughts pretty much but it's good to know we're doing the right thing by not worrying

Davesnave

Lj0918 wrote: »

Thanks all! Echoing our thoughts pretty much but it's good to know we're doing the right thing by not worrying

It's the things you'd never think about that trip you up.

I've only ever had one unannounced, unsolicited visit from a council official........to check up on the horse burials, both performed well before my time here.

CathA

Davesnave wrote: »

It's the things you'd never think about that trip you up.

I've only ever had one unannounced, unsolicited visit from a council official........to check up on the horse burials, both performed well before my time here.

Please put the link up for that again, laughed my a##e off when I read it last time, if it's the one I'm thinking of? Share with those who haven't had the joy!!
Thanks.

Davesnave

CathA wrote: »

Please put the link up for that again, laughed my a##e off when I read it last time, if it's the one I'm thinking of? Share with those who haven't had the joy!!
Thanks.

Sorry, I've no idea where to find it. However, it was just one of many issues we had initially with this property, although the burials and the migratory telegraph pole (formerly in a neighbour's garden ) were the only ones we could never have imagined.

It was a warm, sunny May or June day, and I think the council chap had saved his inspection for such an occasion as it necessitated a 45 mile round trip. He explained that his colleague had retired about 6 months previously and the burial inspection was one of many 'overloooked' items found at the bottom of his in-tray. They'd actually taken place around 4 and 6 years previously.

Anyway, we had a walk around, stared at the places where they were meant to be, noted nothing unusual and that was that. Shortly after, a document arrived certifying that the burials were in order, and a nice map was included, just in case we might forget and go digging a well or something in the wrong place.

In the meantime, we'd asked around and met the guy who'd performed the burials, who confirmed what others had said, which was that the second horse was a 'gert big thing' and he'd made the hole too small. Apparently, despite his best efforts with the digger, there was still one lower leg and hoof sticking up....

I'll spare you the details of how this problem was resolved, but I've seen grown men crying with laughter when they recount this story, although how many were actually present is hard to tell.