3 bed house really a 2

lincroft1710

Silvertabby wrote: »

What's the council tax banding - and how does it compare with similar houses in the same street?

If it's the same CT band it won't prove anything as different value houses can be in the same band. If it's in a higher band it will only prove VOA believe the house is worth more than its neighbours but no indication of by how much.

Silvertabby

“ What's the council tax banding - and how does it compare with similar houses in the same street?
Originally posted by Silvertabby ”
If it's the same CT band it won't prove anything as different value houses can be in the same band. If it's in a higher band it will only prove VOA believe the house is worth more than its neighbours but no indication of by how much.

Thanks. It's just that on our estate the 2 beds are C, the 3 beds are D and the 4 beds are E. However, the houses were built at much the same time so I suppose it's not always so clear cut.

Doozergirl

lincroft1710 wrote: »

What negligence?

OP became aware in 2010 that basement bedroom had no building regs. So over 6 years ago since she found out about BR. In 2001 lenders did not worry so much about building regs and thus solicitors didn't investigate if they existed or not and no-one had claimed they existed.

More importantly she was not misled, she could see the basement had no window. So her choice to buy a house with a windowless bedroom.

Exactly.

Fact is, with most building work, an indemnity policy can be provided. However, no one (except the OP, it seems) would accept a cellar without a window as a bedroom; it simply isn't safe.

I suspect the survey was a valuation only? Even a Homebuyers would pick up an obvious issue like that straight away.

AdrianC

Doozergirl wrote: »

However, no one (except the OP, it seems) would accept a cellar without a window as a bedroom.

Ah, but...

sarahjanekerri wrote: »

Im not trying to convince myself a windowless room is a bedroom

Doozergirl

AdrianC wrote: »

Ah, but...

So what's the issue? Whether or not most rooms are rooms are not actually a matter of whether the room has building regs or not. The house probably never had building regs approval to start with; doesn't mean it isn't a house.

Most people would think that the room
a) not being on a higher floor
b) the near certainty of death during a house fire
was enough to qualify it as 'not a bedroom' and certainly never worth as much as a 'proper' 3 bed house. It's arguably still not wrth the same as a 'proper' 3 bed unless it's in London and the price of the house has increased by 500-1000% in that time anyway.

AdrianC

Doozergirl wrote: »

So what's the issue?

Good question.

EA1 said "Three bedroom".
The OP took a look, thought "That's not a bedroom", and bought it anyway.
The OP lived in it for a decade, thinking "That's not a bedroom".
The OP looked to rent it, said "Three bedroom" but EA2 said "That's not a bedroom".
Another half a decade later, the OP wonders if there's compo due from EA1...

Lord_Baltimore

sarahjanekerri wrote: »

wow you guys are harsh!

A little, but you've been lucky to attract contributions from those who know what they are talking about. Trust me, a little tough talk is worth it to get the answer you need (for free too!). Now, forget all this 2/3 bedroom lark and get on with your life; don't risk throwing money away to the legal wolves.

Welcome to the forum; I am the nicest person here .

parkrunner

AdrianC wrote: »

Good question.

EA1 said "Three bedroom".
The OP took a look, thought "That's not a bedroom", and bought it anyway.
The OP lived in it for a decade, thinking "That's not a bedroom".
The OP looked to rent it, said "Three bedroom" but EA2 said "That's not a bedroom".
Another half a decade later, the OP wonders if there's compo due from EA1...

Perfectly summed up.

teddysmum

Doozergirl wrote: »

Exactly.

Fact is, with most building work, an indemnity policy can be provided. However, no one (except the OP, it seems) would accept a cellar without a window as a bedroom; it simply isn't safe.

I suspect the survey was a valuation only? Even a Homebuyers would pick up an obvious issue like that straight away.

Escape, originally could have been via the coal hatch, but that would have needed a padlock to secure against burglary. Those hatches are quite small, so no use to a large person and a window would reduce the opening's size as well as being difficult to access.


And, as I mentioned, previously, the steps down to the cellar are very dangerous.