Loft inaccessible - can I leave it that way when selling?

Bendy_House

Murphybear said:

Fermat's Last Theorem was solved a few years ago 

According to Murphy's Law.

knightstyle

I remember a similar case in Brighton many years ago. A family living in a terraced house with connecting lofts boarded the whole area over four houses and had tenants sleeping there.

youth_leader

I remember my husband sliding straight down the loft ladder because of a giant wasp's nest.  Do take care! 

SensibleSarah

Gavin83 said:

If you believe the loft space is open and it appears to be blocked from the other side I’d wonder if a neighbour has pinched the space knowing it’s not used. Do you have a good relationship with your neighbours? Ever hear any noises from above?

How does your loft hatch work btw? Is it one of those with a lock on it and hinges or does it lift?

Not heard any noises from up there - literally everything in the house creaks so I would definitely know if there was movement!
The loft hatch has hinges and a latch - so should just come down when I unlatch it - but it definitely doesn't. Obviously I have tried pushing too - it won't budge either way. 

SensibleSarah

canaldumidi said:

12 years and now you're wondering what to do and what might be up there.....?

I'm one of those 'out of sight, out of mind' people. My mild curiousity has always been outweighed by the dread of discovering it's packed with a load of 'old person junk' like the rest of the house was when I got the keys. Or asbestos or something similar. 

SensibleSarah

eddddy said:

Just to cover off one remote possibility - is your house freehold? If it's leasehold, it's very unusual, but some leasehold houses don't include the loft.

How old is your terraced house? If it's very old, there may not be party walls between the the loft spaces. That might be why a previous owner securely fixed the hatch shut - to stop people getting into the loft in another house in the terrace, and then coming down into your house via the hatch.

You could ask your neighbours about their lofts and whether there are party walls. If there aren't any, that might be one way of accessing your loft space to see it's condition, etc.

But if there are no party walls, it's likely that your buyer's mortgage lender will insist that party walls are built, to reduce the risk of fire spreading.

It is a leasehold house funnily enough - the lease doesn't mention the loft at all as far as I can see. It was built in 1935, so not really old. 

I'm going to have to get up there and look aren't I?  

robatwork

SensibleSarah said:

eddddy said:

Just to cover off one remote possibility - is your house freehold? If it's leasehold, it's very unusual, but some leasehold houses don't include the loft.

How old is your terraced house? If it's very old, there may not be party walls between the the loft spaces. That might be why a previous owner securely fixed the hatch shut - to stop people getting into the loft in another house in the terrace, and then coming down into your house via the hatch.

You could ask your neighbours about their lofts and whether there are party walls. If there aren't any, that might be one way of accessing your loft space to see it's condition, etc.

But if there are no party walls, it's likely that your buyer's mortgage lender will insist that party walls are built, to reduce the risk of fire spreading.

It is a leasehold house funnily enough - the lease doesn't mention the loft at all as far as I can see. It was built in 1935, so not really old. 

I'm going to have to get up there and look aren't I?  

Time to stop typing and get hatching!

At this point on Page 4 I think we'll need photos

SensibleSarah

robatwork said:

Time to stop typing and get hatching!

At this point on Page 4 I think we'll need photos

I'll give it a go this weekend I think. But I'm not about to destroy the loft hatch that is currently holding all the spiders back from the rest of the house so if it's going to take drastic action to get in, I'll leave it until I'm more prepared to fix it again afterwards. 

youth_leader

Do wear glasses.  The surveyor opened the loft hatch above my bed, and loads of debris fell out.

adviceforeveryone

I'm another one waiting to see what is up there...