Do new building regs apply on an old loft?

Doozergirl

But it must have had building control sign off in 1998 for the overall conversion to a dwelling because you'd need one to obtain a mortgage on it.  

If it was already an existing 3 storey building that was converted to a dwelling in its entirety then there won't be a separate certificate for a loft conversion, because there wasn't one. 

Then you hit the fact that conservation trumps building control.  So whatever was signed off in 1998 is appropriate for the building because it is a) listed b) still not strictly a loft conversion. 

Whilst it doesn't meet current building regs for a new house or conversion, neither does the rest of this 500 year old house, but the surveyor isn't questioning that and saying the whole thing is uninhabitable or 'not a house'.   Most of the buildings in this country don't meet current regs.  

Mistral001

The surveyor is just being cautious.  He has not seen the plans for the last Bullding Control approved application in 1998 and thus has no means of checking whether the loft complies today with these plans.  The surveyor probably thinks that there could have been unapproved alterations made since 1998. He has no way of telling whether they have other than the word of the owner.  Sometimes owners make alterations which they think are of no consequences as far as BC Regs are concerned when in fact they have very important consequences..