Advice on buying a property but only if it can be extended?

techno79

I'm looking at a few properties to buy and all of them have potential to be extended. All of the listings mention something like "Potential to extend, subject to planning permission". So none of them actually have planning permission. I've looked at other houses nearby on the same street and they do not have the same potential for being extended so I can't use them as a guidance for what is or isn't possible.

What's the best way to handle this? Obviously, I'd only like to go ahead with the house if planning permission is approved but how can I do this before I've exchanged contracts? I don't want to buy the house only to have planning permission denied.

Thanks in advance

davidmcn

Potentially, you could enter into a contract which is conditional on you getting planning permission. In practice, that's only likely to be acceptable for something like a development plot where any other serious buyer will also have a similar requirement.

Do you have any reason to believe that getting consent (for something roughly resembling what you'd like) would be a problem?

seven-day-weekend

You can apply for pp on any property even if it isn't yours. Of course the present owners would have to agree to people coming in and measuring up etc, and the pp decision itself could take a few months.

eddddy

techno79 wrote: »

What's the best way to handle this? Obviously, I'd only like to go ahead with the house if planning permission is approved but how can I do this before I've exchanged contracts?

In theory, there a a number of ways you could do this, for example:

• A lock-out agreement before exchange, while you apply for planning consent

• Exchanging conditional contracts - the contract being subject to getting planning consent

But it's very unlikely that a 'typical' seller would agree to these (unless perhaps you made it 'worth their while'. e.g. By paying them a big chunk of extra cash if planning consent is granted.)


Your best bet might be to make a pre-application enquiry with the local planning authority.

They would indicate how likely it is that you'd get planning consent. But it wouldn't be a guarantee.

SmashedAvacado

If you want guidance then pay a planning consultant to give you a summary of what you will be guaranteed to be able to do (through permitted development rights), and what you might be able to do (through a planning application) and what you almost certainly won't be able to do (through their knowledge). Or look at all the applications made in your street and see what they have done / been approved / been rejected.

techno79

Ah okay, so seems like getting a planning consultant might be the best way forward. Who or where would I be able to speak to someone skilled in this area? And any idea how much they'd charge for each house that is checked?

AdrianC

techno79 wrote: »

I'm looking at a few properties to buy and all of them have potential to be extended. All of the listings mention something like "Potential to extend, subject to planning permission". So none of them actually have planning permission. I've looked at other houses nearby on the same street and they do not have the same potential for being extended so I can't use them as a guidance for what is or isn't possible.

Just because the other EAs haven't larded that bland platitude into the details doesn't mean it's just as true (or untrue) for the other properties...

What's the best way to handle this? Obviously, I'd only like to go ahead with the house if planning permission is approved but how can I do this before I've exchanged contracts? I don't want to buy the house only to have planning permission denied.

Talk nicely to the vendor, and ask if they'd mind if you applied before exchange of contracts. They may agree - you don't have to own the property to apply for PP.

Or - and this might sound a radical suggestion - buy a house that fits your needs without extending. It'll work out far cheaper, apart from not making all the new neighbours hate you.

davidmcn

techno79 wrote: »

Ah okay, so seems like getting a planning consultant might be the best way forward. Who or where would I be able to speak to someone skilled in this area?

Probably best to find someone local, who'll be familiar with the policies and quirks of the relevant council.

AdrianC wrote: »

Talk nicely to the vendor, and ask if they'd mind if you applied before exchange of contracts.

Could do, but the risk of doing that without a contract is that the vendor then walks away with the enhanced value from the planning consent being granted and sells to someone else.

hazyjo

techno79 wrote: »

I've looked at other houses nearby on the same street and they do not have the same potential for being extended so I can't use them as a guidance for what is or isn't possible.

Are you looking for a home or an investment? Only this sentence rings alarm bells with me if the latter. Don't presume you'll add value by adding size - especially if nothing else in the street has been or can be extended.

AdrianC

davidmcn wrote: »

Could do, but the risk of doing that without a contract is that the vendor then walks away with the enhanced value from the planning consent being granted and sells to someone else.

Can't have it both ways.

Either take the risk of applying once you've secured the property, or take the risk that you might lose out after applying.

Why should the vendor have all the risk and none of the benefit?

davidmcn

AdrianC wrote: »

Can't have it both ways.

Either take the risk of applying once you've secured the property, or take the risk that you might lose out after applying.

Why should the vendor have all the risk and none of the benefit?

Generally the benefit to the vendor would be that they get an enhanced price from the buyer once planning is granted. But like I said above, that only works where any other buyer would be needing planning too - chances are that there'll be other buyers who don't expect everyone to twiddle their thumbs waiting for the planning process, with or without a contract in place.