When can you count a loft room as a bedroom?

Help1234

Hi, partner and I are looking to buy a house. We have viewed some houses with loft rooms and some are advertised as an extra bedroom and state "3 bed" on rightmove, whereas others state "2 bed" but then in the description and photos show a loft room with a double bed in it. - in fact one "loft room" was bigger than one "bedroom in the loft"

Browntoa

"loft room" does not probably have planning permission and meet building regs

lincroft1710

If you are considering buying a property which has a bedroom in the loft, check that it meets with building regulations. Do not take EA's or vendor's word, ask to see the relevant documentation.

00ec25

Q. When can you count a loft room as a bedroom?

A. When it has paperwork to show buildings regulations approval/sign off for the work done;
and, if applicable, it has planning permission

Estate Agents if they wish to avoid being sued under the Property Misdescriptions Act should not refer to it as a bedroom if it is not compliant with building regulations. BR would mean, for example, such extra works as this has been done:
- lofts are not intended for the additional weight of furniture and people so rafters often have to be installed to meet building regs.
- walls and what remains of the roof many need their insulation standard improved

G_M

To be a habitable room it must comply with buildibg regulations. Things like

* strengthened floor so the wardrobe, bed & sleeper don't fall intto the bathroom below
* properly boarded and insulated roof
* stairs/access complying with fire exit requirements
and a host of other iportant considerations

If some cowboy just laid some cheap boarding across the joists and splashed some paint arround to make it look good before shoving a bed up there........

edit : 00ec25 typing fast today!

glasgowdan

Unless it was converted before current building regulations came into force!

Bottom line, though, is they can advertise it as anything they like.

theartfullodger

What size is this "loft" bedroom (length, width..) please?? Iss any of that space tied up with stairs?

Doozergirl

It's much more grey than suggested.

Whilst EAs don't want to be caught misdescribIng something and the presence of a Building Control Approval certificate confirms suitability beyond reasonable doubt, the lack of proof does not stop a room from being a room.

You would almost certainly want a readonable survey and the presence of most/all of the upgrades suggested (decent staircase, head height, windows, strong floor) , but an original Victorian room in loft with no paperwork issues (because there was no paperwork) could often be worse than something built more recently without paperwork.

There's no specific way of knowing. You'll probably get some sort of an idea of quality by viewing, but the answer only really lies in a decent survey.

This question is never raised on here by extensions without BCA, the stock answer is to have an indemnity and a decent survey. The same actualy applies to loft conversions.

Help1234

Here is the property we like that classes the loft as a third bedroom;

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-60930844.html

It says it is 13'4" x 10'8" which seems very big, but when it in the loft it doesn't feel big at all - it feels exactly how it looks in the picture. Bedroom 1 - 11'9" x 10'9" feels a lot bigger in fact.

Doozergirl

The width of the reveal to the Velux suggests that it has been insulated.

The purlins look intact. Can't say much more.

glasgowdan

They probably measure the room to a point 4ft high or something, and the sloped ceiling has a huge impact on the perceived size.

It's a nice looking house, if rather claustrophobic.