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Downstairs flat being re-converted
sugarcoma101
Posts: 65 Forumite
Hi everyone,
Hope someone can advise me on something.
I live on the first floor of a converted victorian building. I live upstairs and have downstairs neighbours who rent their property. When I bought the property, my solicitor let me know that the downstairs flat been converted into two flats many years ago. The owner did not have planning permission for this, but went ahead and did it anyway. The owner then retrospectively applied for planning permission which was refused. The second half of the flat has been used as a storage unit up until recently, when the council came by and told them that they did not have permission to use it for that purpose. The rear portion of the flat is let out to tenants.
This morning, I happened to encounter an architect and some builders in the shared hallway, who were chatting about the upcoming ‘works’. My guess it that the owner is now planning on putting the downstairs back to how it was originally.
On one hand, I’m quite happy that they are going to do some work to it but I’m wondering if you need planning permission to convert a flat back to how it was originally?! Presumably it needs to be signed off by building regulations etc?
Is there any risk of damage to my flat from the downstairs conversion or anything I should be worried about?
I’ve only heard about this happening quite by coincidence so I’m curious as to what I should know about/be concerned about.
As an aside, the freeholder of the building is also the downstairs owner…I am the leaseholder.
Thanks all!
Hope someone can advise me on something.
I live on the first floor of a converted victorian building. I live upstairs and have downstairs neighbours who rent their property. When I bought the property, my solicitor let me know that the downstairs flat been converted into two flats many years ago. The owner did not have planning permission for this, but went ahead and did it anyway. The owner then retrospectively applied for planning permission which was refused. The second half of the flat has been used as a storage unit up until recently, when the council came by and told them that they did not have permission to use it for that purpose. The rear portion of the flat is let out to tenants.
This morning, I happened to encounter an architect and some builders in the shared hallway, who were chatting about the upcoming ‘works’. My guess it that the owner is now planning on putting the downstairs back to how it was originally.
On one hand, I’m quite happy that they are going to do some work to it but I’m wondering if you need planning permission to convert a flat back to how it was originally?! Presumably it needs to be signed off by building regulations etc?
Is there any risk of damage to my flat from the downstairs conversion or anything I should be worried about?
I’ve only heard about this happening quite by coincidence so I’m curious as to what I should know about/be concerned about.
As an aside, the freeholder of the building is also the downstairs owner…I am the leaseholder.
Thanks all!
0
Comments
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If the existing planning consent is for it to be used as a single flat then it sounds like they're just putting it back to the way it's meant to be. Will almost certainly need buildings regulations.
I can't see there's anything you should be worried about, it's expensive for them to start causing damage to other people's properties...0 -
I was about to say the freeholder would ned to give consent...... till I saw your final paragraph!
I doubt PP is required.
However Building Contol should be involved to provide Building Regulations certification.0
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