Just found out the 2 bed house I am buying is registered as a 1 bed

Doozergirl

What a bizarre thread. Who have you employed to do your conveyancing?

It's the knowledgeable people on this forum asking you where the 1 bed is 'registered' because registering a number of bedrooms simply isn't a thing. Houses change configuration all the time, there's no bedroom register. Original planning permission may state an originally planned number of bedrooms, but it's not an obligation.

You may have a concern about building regulations or planning (given that it is a flat), but that is completely separate to the mystical bedroom register.

You're a little bit confused. I don't think your solicitor is helping if the conversation is about a register that doesn't exist.

Tiglet2

I wonder if your conveyancing solicitor has compared the sales particulars with the Lease Plan and seen that they are different. Lease Plans usually show a floorplan of the flat and this would differ from the floorplan drawn up by the EA. Your solicitor is right to query this. As Owain Moneysaver said above, while planning permission may not have been needed, building regulations most certainly would, as would consent from the freeholder. In any case, who would want to sleep in a damp bedroom. This is a problem for the seller to address. I would walk away.

Ozzuk

I'd also keep in mind we've had the driest period of weather for many, many years so your surveyor will be seeing the basement likely at its best. If it is that bad now...it will be much worse when the weather gets back to 'normal'. If there is bad damp then that could cause serious health issues so I wouldn't even use it - wouldn't even be suitable as storage.

If you are buying (and its priced) as a 1 bed, you could proceed with a viewing to sorting out the basement in the future and possibly add value. But if being valued as a 2 bed, then run away!

gingercordial

A question: do you want to use the cellar as a bedroom? Would you be comfortable doing so?

Not sure from your description whether it is an underground basement or a lower ground floor. If the former, does it have any windows at all? Apart from being a bit bleak, no windows = no escape route from a fire and I would not be happy sleeping there at all. I might be OK with using it during the day as an office/home gym/storage room when I would have my wits about me to (hopefully) notice a fire alarm and try to get out before being trapped, but could not sleep there. Building regs require window escapes from bedrooms for a reason.

If no windows, could one be installed? Would you be able to hack a hole in the wall of the building to put one in (would the freeholder agree?) or is it completely impossible if it is below ground?

So ignore the resale value for the moment. Are you happy with the safety aspects for the time you'll be living there?

Mellik_Clarke

Thanks, I am indeed confused. I am a first time buyer with no experience of this and unfortunately have hired frankly useless solicitors who are highly unresponsive and today told me they don't do calls with clients on emails which they don't respond to. They had positive reviews online and we didn't go for one of the cheapest ones so it is dissapointing.

I am trying to find out the source of the information on the number of beds came from at the moment but its useful to know there isn;t actually a register.

Doozergirl wrote: »

What a bizarre thread. Who have you employed to do your conveyancing?

It's the knowledgeable people on this forum asking you where the 1 bed is 'registered' because registering a number of bedrooms simply isn't a thing. Houses change configuration all the time, there's no bedroom register. Original planning permission may state an originally planned number of bedrooms, but it's not an obligation.

You may have a concern about building regulations or planning (given that it is a flat), but that is completely separate to the mystical bedroom register.

You're a little bit confused. I don't think your solicitor is helping if the conversation is about a register that doesn't exist.

Mellik_Clarke

Thanks, we only really need one bed so don't have to use it all the time, it does have a window which goes from ground level (outdoors) to a metre above. This could provide a means of escape for fires, it seems like the bedroom could be classified as a bedroom and meet building regs although it has never passed building regs. There is quite a bit of damp down there though so think we should be renegotiating if we go ahead with the purchase.

gingercordial wrote: »

A question: do you want to use the cellar as a bedroom? Would you be comfortable doing so?

Not sure from your description whether it is an underground basement or a lower ground floor. If the former, does it have any windows at all? Apart from being a bit bleak, no windows = no escape route from a fire and I would not be happy sleeping there at all. I might be OK with using it during the day as an office/home gym/storage room when I would have my wits about me to (hopefully) notice a fire alarm and try to get out before being trapped, but could not sleep there. Building regs require window escapes from bedrooms for a reason.

If no windows, could one be installed? Would you be able to hack a hole in the wall of the building to put one in (would the freeholder agree?) or is it completely impossible if it is below ground?

So ignore the resale value for the moment. Are you happy with the safety aspects for the time you'll be living there?

Mellik_Clarke

They have said they do but haven't provided them yet, they have since bought the freehold with the other flats in the block so it is now share of freehold

Slithery wrote: »

They may not have needed planning permission, but they definitely would have needed permission from the freeholder as I doubt very much that the basement belonged to them in the first place - And even if it did they would have needed consent from the freeholder to do any material alterations to the structure of the building.

Does the current owner have documents from the freeholder proving that this work was agreed?