FTB - 2 bed w/ loft conversion

breadwm

FTB - been to look at a couple of new builds and they are tiny! Becoming increasingly open to buying a "project" to do up as I do like a challenge and want more for my money.

I'm in the middle of trying to arrange a viewing so thought I'd get some tips off you lovely guys before I go. It will be my first proper viewing!

1) It's advertised a 2-bed with a "loft room" so I am assuming the loft conversion doesn't meet building regulations. Any advice or questions I should ask? It appeals to me as I'd use it as an office.

2) I am pretty sure house is ex-council. Can someone confirm? Should this be a worry?

Any other comments, tips, advice or thoughts would be appreciated :-)

Thank you in advance!

:beer:

breadwm

Unfortunately I can't post a link just yet. Sorry!

tykesi

Post a broken link and one of us will convert to the real one.

Or post the postcode and price of the property so someone can look it up.

breadwm

rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-66686090.html

:money:

Rambosmum

Yeah, it means it doesn't meet building regs. it may not take much to get it up to standard, or it may not be possible. You can still use it as a room, just not rent it out as a bedroom.

If you post a broken link I'll be able to tell you from looking if it's ex council. They tend to be a bit cheaper, and tend to rise in value less, but can be good houses. They can also be non-standard construction, which may be hard to mortgage (but may very well be brick normal construction, so don't worry too much!).

Rambosmum

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-66686090.html

Rambosmum

Yes it's ex-council. Looks like standard construction.

Massive pond! And conservatory.

The loft room doesn't have building regs as it doesn't have a window low enough to be a fire escape, could be other reasons too.

breadwm

Rambosmum wrote: »

Yes it's ex-council. Looks like standard construction.

Massive pond! And conservatory.

The loft room doesn't have building regs as it doesn't have a window low enough to be a fire escape, could be other reasons too.

Thank you. Yeah, I wouldn't be interested in using the loft as an bedroom - I'd use it as a study/office.

Rambosmum

breadwm wrote: »

Thank you. Yeah, I wouldn't be interested in using the loft as an bedroom - I'd use it as a study/office.

It wouldn't matter if you used it as a bedroom, as long as you didn't take payment for it (so have a lodger, or rent the whole house as a 3 bed).

cloo

It looks like a pretty good house to me. I wouldn't worry about it being ex-council as long as the estate it's on is pleasant. It won't create mortgage issues or anything - the only ex-council properties that have those are ones built from concrete, and that's about construction, not their former tenure.

But as other have said, that loft space cannot be marketed for sale or rent as a bedroom legally - so the agents have done the right thing in not labelling it as such (because some agents do try to get away with this and it all goes wrong when things get underway).