3 bedroom house now a 2 bedroom

Jamelia7

Hi all,
Am looking for some knowledge and any similar experiences.

I'm in the process of selling my house. When I purchased it 7.5 years ago it was considered a 3 bedroom house. The loft conversion was all signed off by building control. In fact, shortly after moving in our council tax was increased to reflect this. Fair enough.

Now I've come to sell it, the surveyor has said that it is no longer a 3 bedroom house as building regulations have been updated since and it no longer meets these regulations. The buyer is therefore looking for a substantial reduction to the price.

Is this a usual thing - are there lots of properties that suddenly lose an official bedroom everytime building regulations are updated?

And have I therefore been overpaying my council tax and declaring incorrectly to insurance that it is a 3 bed house?

Has this happened to anyone before?

This is the first property I've ever sold, no was not expecting this at the last minute.

Thank you

davidmcn

No, it's complete nonsense. When you say "the surveyor has said", I take it you mean your buyer's surveyor? Has this statement come to you second (or third) hand? I would tell them to keep to the agreed price or you remarket.

Thrugelmir

Have you seen the surveyors report or are you relying on the word of the prospective buyer?

Jamelia7

Yes, I've seen the buyers survey report. It states that the loft room cant be classed as a bedroom and it doesn't have a protected landing. But my survey 7 years ago says the loft room is a bedroom and it was all signed off by building control. The only thing that has changed in that time is building regulations (apparently- I haven't looked them up).

davidmcn

In which case the surveyor has probably just guessed that it doesn't have building regulation approval, and it can be resolved once you produce the consents. I'm sure the solicitors can sort it out.

RelievedSheff

Provide proof of building regs approval for to your solicitors to pass on to their solicitors and that should put this issue to bed.

Thrugelmir

Sounds like there's no secure fire exit from the room.

PixelPound

Do you think your house is worth the asking price? If so then say no, unless you need to sell to this buyer. You can always put the house on the market. When I was buying my house I looked at other houses one had a loft conversion but the estate agent put it as a 1-bedroom because it was on smallish size (could have a wardrobe and a single bed in with space but probably not a double) - it was going for a similar price as 2 beds in the area.

State you are not willing to reduce, or if you are by what you are if what they want is too much. Part of the buying process is seen by many to pay for a surveyor to then be able to knock the price down to more than the surveyor costs (similar to why some people get accountants to reduce tax burden).

You don't say how long it's been on the market and how quick you need the sale verses how much you want.

Jamelia7

Thank you all for your messages so far.

Believe it or not this sale was agreed in july so I'm now desperate to move as am ready to move into another house. So I do need this buyer. She has only brought this up a week ago! We've already taken money off for damp.

I've provided all certificates to the solicitor whom has passed them on but the buyer is being insistent that its still a 2 bed.

I'm keen to know if its actually legally a 2 or 3 bed when it has building control sign off but does not meet current regulations. Surely this is not unusual?

John_Smith_2019

Jamelia7 wrote: »

Hi all,
Am looking for some knowledge and any similar experiences.

I'm in the process of selling my house. When I purchased it 7.5 years ago it was considered a 3 bedroom house. The loft conversion was all signed off by building control. In fact, shortly after moving in our council tax was increased to reflect this. Fair enough.

Now I've come to sell it, the surveyor has said that it is no longer a 3 bedroom house as building regulations have been updated since and it no longer meets these regulations. The buyer is therefore looking for a substantial reduction to the price.

Is this a usual thing - are there lots of properties that suddenly lose an official bedroom everytime building regulations are updated?

And have I therefore been overpaying my council tax and declaring incorrectly to insurance that it is a 3 bed house?


Thank you

Are you sure that your council tax is based on the number of bedrooms your house has?
I thought council tax was based on a valuation banding system (eg band C, band D etc) and also the local ward / area your house is in.

On many terraced streets there will be houses that look the same from the outside, but inside will have different configurations (eg bathrooms moved upstairs, losing a bedroom etc).
No one from the council has ever asked or checked how many bedrooms my house has. Nor any of my neighbours' (so far as I know).

couriervanman

If it was me irrelevant that i needed the sale to move to new house i would be telling her to pay up or .... off