house with extension that had planning permission refused

wah007

Hello,

I need some advice regarding a semi-detatched house I'm going to view soon. The house is advertised as being extended, it has a full length extension down the side of the house where the driveway used to be.

I checked planning application for the house on the council's website and permission was refused in December 2011 on grounds that the neighbour objects because the extension will overshadow their house and cause stress, and because the plans weren't drawn properly. It seems they went ahead and built it anyway.

It's a single storey extension which includes a 4th bedroom to the front of the house, a dining room in the middle and kitchen at the back. It's a leasehold house.

I wanted to know what can the risks be after buying it? What questions should I ask the estate agent?

Thanks

-taff

Did they change it so it fell within permitted development?

Cakeguts

What was in the original planning application? It sounds as if it might have been double storey rather than what is there now?

wah007

-taff wrote: »

Did they change it so it fell within permitted development?

Thanks for your reply taff.

I'm not sure as I'm new to this game, if there's a way I can check please let me know. If it's something i need to ask then I can learn a few things from here and ask questions at the viewing. The house is currently a vacant possession/no chain.

Silvertabby

Assuming that the plans were changed - and approved - I'd be more concerned about the property being leasehold rather than freehold.

wah007

Cakeguts wrote: »

What was in the original planning application? It sounds as if it might have been double storey rather than what is there now?

It was originally a single storey application and I can't see any appeals or appeal decisions.

wah007

Silvertabby wrote: »

Assuming that the plans were changed - and approved - I'd be more concerned about the property being leasehold rather than freehold.

I'm going to ask them if I can buy out the freehold and cost, I already had that in mind.

Cakeguts

Is the house currently vacant? If so do you know why this is?

wah007

Cakeguts wrote: »

Is the house currently vacant? If so do you know why this is?

Yes it is vacant, she mentioned that it's empty and is vacant possession/no chain. I didn't think to ask her why it was. I'll ask her on Monday.

davidmcn

wah007 wrote: »

It was originally a single storey application and I can't see any appeals or appeal decisions.

Can you see the drawings and do they match what has been built? Do you know that the work was done after the refusal (and if so, when it was done), or was it a retrospective application (usually it will say if it is)? Is there any record of enforcement action?

The usual solution would be to get indemnity insurance, but that may be tricky if there has already been a refusal (and an objecting neighbour).

wah007

davidmcn wrote: »

Can you see the drawings and do they match what has been built? Do you know that the work was done after the refusal (and if so, when it was done), or was it a retrospective application (usually it will say if it is)? Is there any record of enforcement action?

The usual solution would be to get indemnity insurance, but that may be tricky if there has already been a refusal (and an objecting neighbour).

Looking at the planning application on the council website there's no drawings. There's only two documents which are officer notes and decision.

I've not seen the house yet so can't see if the extension is the same as described in the officer notes, and it's hard to tell in photos but I'm guessing by looking at the photos.

There's no mention of retrospective application on there. I'm unsure of how long after the refusal the extension was built. I'll have to ask all these questions to the agent.

There's no record of enforcement action. I've noticed on land registry that the neghbouring property (objecting one) has recently sold in 2016, so maybe the new neighbours don't have a problem with the extension.

Thanks