House overpriced now loft conversion has no building regs. Advice needed.

davidmcn

AdrianC wrote: »

And how about if it would have met last year's standards, but they've changed in the interim?

Or if it was built before building regulations existed?

davidmcn

GDB2222 wrote: »

No BR probably means no planning permission either, so does it meet regs for a habitable space?

Not sure what planning would have to do with it. Normally for loft conversions, planning is only relevant to the extent there are any external alterations. Just because the planners like the look of the windows doesn't prove anything about what's been done internally.

Doozergirl

GDB2222 wrote: »

Clearly, this is true. BUT:
Building Regs approval is proof more or less that is safe. Without that, and with so much covered up, it will be hard to tell whether it's safe and properly done. Personally, I am not keen on being burnt alive, say, because the fire precautions are not done, but YMMV.
Anyone who's done a major job like that without BR approval, well what other shortcuts have they taken?
You're going to have issues selling.
No BR probably means no planning permission either, so does it meet regs for a habitable space?

If this were being sold at a discount to valuation I might take a view. But it's not. So, there are only downsides, so I'd simply walk away.

I'd also take the estate agent to the ombudsman over the misdescription with a view to getting my costs back.

I've gone into this time after time.

Some houses were built with a 2nd floor, or even more, in Victorian times. There were no building regulations then but no questions will be asked. The joists will not be deemed safe to current standards, there was zero insulation, no smoke alarms, no such thing as a fire door or intumescent seals .

But no questions asked about the standards in these at all.

Our current system only evolved in 1984 and so anything before then has zero paperwork. So no questions asked.

Standards have constantly changed since 1984. So each certificate is eroded by the latest update, but they're not questioned.

There is a full spectrum of loft conversion already out there.

As Adrian C points out, people also do work that undoes the work that original certificate covered - Grenfell Tower being the most awful of examples.

Fact is, for whatever reason, some people don't involve building control. Within that set of people too, some people do terrible work but others may have done it to current standards in force at the time, but just never involved them, or forgotten that there should have been a final inspection.

There is actually no definitive answer to the question, but it is not always the absence or presence of a BCA certificate.

Planning Permission is not needed for most loft conversions. It falls under Permitted Development unless in a designated building. "Regs for a habitable house" is Building Control - and we've just been through that

Doozergirl

bouicca21 wrote: »

I know of a conversion that meets standards except that egress is into a room with a door to the outside rather than directly to the outside. Is this unsafe? Depends where the fire is ...

I think having a door is the most important thing. It can contain a fire and it can keep people away from the fire.

That said, people don't even close their doors half the time, which doesn't help.

I think the most important thing, by far, are smoke alarms. Good ones, hardwired into the electrics. As many as one can afford - one per room, even.

I rave about the Nest Protect alarms and will continue to do so. They're networked, know which room is which in the house so will tell you where the problem is both verbally and on your phone before it goes hell for leather with the alarm, giving you a chance to turn it off if you've burned the toast. It tests itself, will tell you if it's broken and needs replacing, and provides you with a nightlight if you need to get out.

It removes all the awful things that make people rip the batteries out. That annoying beep that never stops, or going off every single time you cook.

Brilliant things.

ThePants999

Thanks Doozergirl - hadn't come across those, they look awesome.