Buying a House, Conservatory is open to house

alstorey

Hi,

I am in the process of buying a house. It has a conservatory that is open to the main house, i.e. doesnt have external grade doors between house and conservatory. Also, it has a radiator connected to the central heating.

it appears it doesnt have planning permission, what are my options regarding this?

Should I request money off the price, I looked at suitable doors and its is looking like about £2500 for the doors and installation.

From what i understand about the radiator is, it not is not really an inforced rule.. I could always just disconnect it.

DE_612183

If you asked for £2500 off the price and they said "No" - would you walk away?

silvercar

They may not have needed PP, it may be permitted development. What you are looking at here is a potential breach of building regs. (Though it is common round here - people generally get the BR sign off and then remove the doors. )

gwynlas

You could use it as part of your argument to get an overall reduction on the asking price but your first offer should generally be at least £5000 under EA valuation and subject to survey as other things are likely to come up. An open to the house conservatory will contribute to overheating in warm weather and lower temperatures in cold unless there are fantastic levels of insulation everywhere.

eddddy

Are you actually planning to fit double doors - and if so, why? 

Or are you just using this as a strategy/excuse for lowering your offer?

Presumably you saw the doorless conservatory when you viewed, before you made your offer, and you were happy with it. What has changed since? Is it that you didn't realise that it didn't have BR approval?


If there's a new (or widened) opening in the wall, the joist above the opening would be subject to building regulations - whether you fit doors or not.

locationx3

Does it have building regs sign off? As someone else said, it would have needed external grade doors to get this, but they are commonly removed. I don’t know why myself as a lot of heat will leak out without them and I would certainly want to (re)install them before winter.

Grizebeck

Not really an issue 

secla

It will probably be suggested that indemnity insurance policy is taken out. We had one when we purchased as there was a radiator on the central heating system in the conservatory only cost about £20 and didnt hold the purchase up

Is the conservatory solid roof or glass/poly roof ? It will definitely have an effect on heating the rest of the house as it will suck in heat in the summer and lose it in the winter.

35har1old

secla said:

It will probably be suggested that indemnity insurance policy is taken out. We had one when we purchased as there was a radiator on the central heating system in the conservatory only cost about £20 and didnt hold the purchase up

Is the conservatory solid roof or glass/poly roof ? It will definitely have an effect on heating the rest of the house as it will suck in heat in the summer and lose it in the winter.

If its a conservatory it would have a glass roof as once the roof is solid it's becomes a sunroom

Tiglet2

Do the owners still have the doors?  As above, lots of people get the BR sign off, then remove the doors, but store them in the garage.

theartfullodger

Our house has one likewise.  Not an issue.

If you asked me in those circumstances for £2,500 off I'd reply saying I didn't realise the price was flexible and thus was going up £2,500.