Planning permission for Garage conversion or is it a garage?

Doozergirl

martinsurrey wrote: »

I think you are getting a bit too worked up by this, you are still getting what you saw when you viewed, no Victorian houses have planning permission or building regs approvals, yet they are sold day in day out and are most definitely "habitable".

I have used this sort of line many times in the past and would ordinarily agree, but a recent conversion/extension of any type is the most likely to fail and where the vendor is the one creating it, it is their problem.

The most important point for me is that a room without a window is not "habitable" at all. In the event of a fire, it is a potential coffin.

silvercar

Doozergirl wrote: »

I have used this sort of line many times in the past and would ordinarily agree, but a recent conversion/extension of any type is the most likely to fail and where the vendor is the one creating it, it is their problem.

The most important point for me is that a room without a window is not "habitable" at all. In the event of a fire, it is a potential coffin.

I agree, but see that there are some office blocks being converted to flats marketed as 1 beds but clearly designed to be 3 beds. The only thing missing is the door to the doorway and the window. Clearly the intention is for the first owner to put a door in the doorway.

Flats on very high floors have windows that aren't much use in the case of a fire!

teddysmum

Doozergirl wrote: »

The most important point for me is that a room without a window is not "habitable" at all. In the event of a fire, it is a potential coffin.

This is a fairly unlikely situation, but many people comment on how horrid bathrooms with no windows are. Being in a room without natural light for some time, during daylight hours, is quite disorientating/unpleasant for some.

Doozergirl

silvercar wrote: »

I agree, but see that there are some office blocks being converted to flats marketed as 1 beds but clearly designed to be 3 beds. The only thing missing is the door to the doorway and the window. Clearly the intention is for the first owner to put a door in the doorway.

Flats on very high floors have windows that aren't much use in the case of a fire!

That may be some people's intention, but it is not lawful development and that is the cynicism of developers for you; profit before everything else. There are requirements for windows in both planning and building law.

Windows may not be useful escape in high rise buildings, but the building regulations are much more strict that houses in many other respects when it comes to fire saftey and escape routes. In a two storey house, your escapes are windows.

lincroft1710

EachPenny wrote: »

If they decided to go down the legally safe route with a future sale (which most EA's would insist on)

The number of threads on these boards concerning absence of building regs or planning permission would suggest that many EAs do not insist on this.

EachPenny

Doozergirl wrote: »

Windows may not be useful escape in high rise buildings, but the building regulations are much more strict that houses in many other respects when it comes to fire saftey and escape routes. In a two storey house, your escapes are windows.

I agree, but also the function of windows in a fire scenario is not just for escape, but also for ventilation allowing the room occupant a source of smoke free air until the emergency services can get the fire under control. However this only works if smoke from the fire won't also enter via the window. At the most basic level, an opening window allows someone trapped in a room to summon help by the simple method of shouting 'help' - a bit of an old fashioned concept, but possibly a last resort if your phone isn't available.

Anyone thinking of using a windowless room as a bedroom would be well advised to read up on the Lakanal House fire. And also pay special attention to the fire instructions when you check into your double glazed air-conditioned hotel room.

Davesnave

silvercar wrote: »

Flats on very high floors have windows that aren't much use in the case of a fire!

When I was a student, I had a girlfriend who lived in the attic room of the ladies' hosteI with three others. They were on the 5th floor and I remember asking them what they'd do in the event of a fire in the stair well.

"Climb out and scramble along to next door behind the balustrade," they replied, "although that's not what we're supposed to do!"

They were supposed to put on some kind of harness and attach themselves to one of these, attached next to the window, possibly on a short, swing-out gantry:

http://www.safelincs.co.uk/davy-descender-descent-controlled-fire-escape/

I remember being shocked by the primitive nature of the device, but also disappointed that their regular fire drills didn't actually include a genuine descent using it!