Loft conversion planning permission

House_mover81

Hi all,

Just looking for a bit of advice from those in the know on here!

We are buying a property that has had a loft conversion completed in the last 5 years, it has a building control certificate but no record of planning permission. The only dormer window is at the rear of the property so from what I have read it is likely to be a permitted development as only velux windows to the front, is there any way I could find out for sure?

Would building control have signed it off if it was likely to need planning permission but didn't have it?

I saw that the size could have an impact, is the 40/50 cubic metres based on the total space in the conversion or just the additional space created?

Finally, if we buy it and find out later planning was required, can we apply for this retrospectively?

Many thanks in advance, I've enjoyed reading all the advice on here over the past few weeks!:T

davidmcn

Building control don't care whether it's got planning permission or not.

The planning dept's website may have useful advice, or you can try phoning them (don't give the address though, in case the answer isn't what you're hoping for!). Or ask a professional who knows - is your surveyor prepared to comment on it?

G_M

How long ago was it done?

Enforcement is only possible within 4 years of completion of the work.

Development becomes immune from enforcement if no action is taken:

• Within four years of substantial completion for a breach of planning control consisting of operational development;
• Within four years for an unauthorised change of use to a single dwellinghouse;
• Within ten years for any other breach of planning control (essentially other changes of use).

These time limits are set out in section 171B of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

http://planningguidance.communities.gov.uk/blog/guidance/ensuring-effective-enforcement/planning-enforcement-overview/

House_mover81

Thanks for your replies both.

I think it is less than 4 years old but not by much, will check the certificate. Will try to call the planning dept with a general enquiry too, the surveyor only said it had been done to a good standard which is good but doesn't help with the planning question!

Cakeguts

While you are looking into the planning permission just also check that you are not being overcharged for the property. Some people ask the same amount for a house with a loft conversion adding bedrooms as a house that was purpose built with the same number of bedrooms. For example a house with 2 beds in the loft and 2 beds in the rest of the house is not a 4 bed house. It is a 2 bed house with a loft conversion and so the price should be based on a 2 bed house rather than a purpose built 4 bed house.

If it doesn't have planning permission this could make a huge difference to the price because you would be buying a house without the benefit of the loft conversion. So buying it and then applying for retrospective planning permission is a much bigger risk than you may have thought.

seven-day-weekend

It almost certainly did not need pp if the dormer is at the back, but do check with your council.

G_M

A word of caution: when you contact the Planning department, make your enquiry a generic one about the need for PP for such a conversion. Do NOT enquire specifically about this property.

Bringing the property to the attention of the Planners would remove the possibility of you, or the seller, or another buyer, taking out an Indemnity Insurance policy, which is a common solution (rightly or wrongly) where PP is not in place.

Doozergirl

Cakeguts wrote: »

While you are looking into the planning permission just also check that you are not being overcharged for the property. Some people ask the same amount for a house with a loft conversion adding bedrooms as a house that was purpose built with the same number of bedrooms. For example a house with 2 beds in the loft and 2 beds in the rest of the house is not a 4 bed house. It is a 2 bed house with a loft conversion and so the price should be based on a 2 bed house rather than a purpose built 4 bed house.

If it doesn't have planning permission this could make a huge difference to the price because you would be buying a house without the benefit of the loft conversion. So buying it and then applying for retrospective planning permission is a much bigger risk than you may have thought.

None of that makes any sense.

A house is worth what someone is prepared to pay for it. This house has building regulations sign off and is perfectly well built. It is absolutely a four bedroom house. You might as well be saying that any house with an extension is only worth the price of the original house.

It may not fetch as much as a four bed house over two floors but that is because a purpose built two storey house with the same bedroom floorspace will have 33% more floorspace downstairs than the three storey house. It is not worth less because it has a loft conversion and it is not priced as a two bed house.

This property also sounds very much like the conversion was carried out under permitted development, for which no planning paperwork would be required. It would be highly irregular for people to go to the effort of obtaining full building control sign off but not planning if it were needed. The layout also sounds very much like something that complies under PD.

OP, you can ask the vendor to obtain a certificate of lawful development, but it might delay things - it depends on how far down the line you are. It is not compulsory so the vendors are not doing anything wrong if it is under PD. It's just more money to spend.

Waterlily24

Cakeguts wrote: »

While you are looking into the planning permission just also check that you are not being overcharged for the property. Some people ask the same amount for a house with a loft conversion adding bedrooms as a house that was purpose built with the same number of bedrooms. For example a house with 2 beds in the loft and 2 beds in the rest of the house is not a 4 bed house. It is a 2 bed house with a loft conversion and so the price should be based on a 2 bed house rather than a purpose built 4 bed house.

If it doesn't have planning permission this could make a huge difference to the price because you would be buying a house without the benefit of the loft conversion. So buying it and then applying for retrospective planning permission is a much bigger risk than you may have thought.

Our place has rooms in the roof - 3 bedrooms and a bathroom bedroom sizes are 13' 6" x 10' 4", 15' 4" x 13' 6" and 20' 2" x 12' 11" wouldn't you call those bedrooms??

G_M

Waterlily24 wrote: »

Our place has rooms in the roof - 3 bedrooms and a bathroom bedroom sizes are 13' 6" x 10' 4", 15' 4" x 13' 6" and 20' 2" x 12' 11" wouldn't you call those bedrooms??

Only if ou put beds in them.

Otherwise they are just....... 'rooms'.

Waterlily24

lol G_M funnily enough only one of them has a bed in it, one is my craft room and the other has clothes and lego in lol. They are all big enough to put a king size bed in though.


The estate agent called them bedrooms in the details he did when we were going to put it up for sale.