Insurance Regarding Boarded Loft Conversion With Staircase

just_this_one_post

Hi MSE'rs, I hope you’re all keeping well. I have a bit of a question and was wondering if anyone had any answers?

We’re currently buying a two bedroom house which has a staircase going up to a boarded loft conversion (with carpet and lights); building control has come around and said that the conversion can’t be signed off as a room due to fire regs etc (which is a fairly common problem). 

I’m ok with this; I was planning to use the conversion for storage, not a bedroom, and the price I’m paying (and mortgage) more or less reflects the price of two bedrooms, not three. 

The building control guy says that if we just leave it as is, the file in the council will still be open, but they are not going to specifically request that work be done, and the regularisation request is going to be listed as ‘incomplete’. The vendor believes she can get me indemnity insurance as the council have inspected and not taken action.

If the council is ok, and she can get the indemnity insurance, my only worry would be buildings insurance. If I insure the house as a two bedroom (ie, not including the boarded loft as a room), and use the loft solely for storage, would the fact that there is an open council file saying ‘incomplete’ and a staircase going up to said storage area possibly invalidate the insurance? 

The alternative would be to take the stairs out (thereby rendering the loft ‘uncontrolled’) and make good the ceiling, but this creates problems as neither one of us want’s to pay for the work upfront. It’d be a lot simpler if we can just leave it, but I don’t want my future buildings insurance to be jeopardised.

Any thoughts? Do you think I’m right to be concerned about buildings insurance in this case?

davidmcn

No, buildings insurers aren't going to care. That's why they don't bother asking questions about this sort of thing.

I would however be extremely sceptical that indemnity insurance is going to be any use, as generally the insurers require you not to have (recently) contacted the council. Haven't you had any advice from your solicitor?

AdrianC

No, I don't think buildings insurance will care either way.

There is precisely zero chance the council will come round at bedtime and stop anybody going up that wooden hill to bedfordshire.

eddddy

The insurance company won't be bothered about the lack of buildings regulations.

But if you go for a bedrooms rated insurance policy - they will be very bothered about the number of bedrooms you declare. If the loft room could potentially have a bed in it, and be used to sleep in, it might be safer to declare it as 3 bedrooms (or phone the insurer to check).

FWIW, here's a news story about an insurance claim that was refused, because the owners described it as as a 5 bedroom house and didn't mention the 2 additional attic bedrooms: https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/article-5550933/Our-house-burnt-insurer-refused-pay-said-7-bedrooms-not-five.html

just_this_one_post

Thanks for your help
davidmcn: that's what my solicitor said, but because the council have confirmed that no action will be taken my vendors solicitors believe that she should be able to get indemnity insurance from certain providors. That said, given the council is ok, perhaps it's a moot point?

Thrugelmir

The potential risk you face is if you use the space for anything else than storage and that there is a claim of some kind. 

ProDave

If the only concern of building Control is "fire regulations" then I would ask further what they want.  It could be as simple as a couple of fire doors to make it comply. Then you would add value to the house and it could be called 3 bedrooms.

It's would be more complicated if they had structural issues but they appear not to.

just_this_one_post

Thanks
Thrugelmir, I'm hope I'll be able to control myself, ha ha. The insurance company/council would have to prove that the loft was being used as a habitable room though, right?
ProDave; they would require firedoors but also a reworking downstairs (it's open plan with an open staircase, a big no-no). There is also the potentially the option of sprinklers/automist systems instead. At any rate, this is not a road I'd want to go down.

AdrianC

eddddy said:

FWIW, here's a news story about an insurance claim that was refused, because the owners described it as as a 5 bedroom house and didn't mention the 2 additional attic bedrooms: https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/article-5550933/Our-house-burnt-insurer-refused-pay-said-7-bedrooms-not-five.html

"News" is stretching it - it's the Daily Mail.

But, yes, it's better to be overinsured than under, and the additional premium would be minimal.

eddddy

AdrianC said:

"News" is stretching it - it's the Daily Mail.

Yes I know - I read the actual decision by the ombudsman, and that news story wasn't exactly 100% accurate.

Thrugelmir

just_this_one_post said:

 The insurance company/council would have to prove that the loft was being used as a habitable room though, right?

No concerns over putting someones life potentially at risk?