Buying a house with carport extension without building regs

LMS94

Hi,

We're currently purchasing a "4" bed semi-detached house in Leeds.

The house has a car port extension which has a bedroom & a shower room in. This was build around 40 years ago and doesn't appear to have any planning/building control sign off. The council must already be aware of it was shown on the approved planning for the extension mentioned below.

The house also had a 1st floor extension built on top of an existing ground floor extension in 2004. It had planning approval and I can see on the planning portal that the building control status is "Approved with endorsements" and there's a "Five Week Date" provided.

I was tempted to contact the council to ask if the extension had infact been signed off, just not updated, but this can invalidate any indemnity insurance, apparently.

Does anyone have any advise/experience with this?

Can the bedroom in the car port extension be classed as a 4th bedroom?

TIA

lincroft1710

What sort of "car port extension"? Car ports are usually pretty basic structures, so there must have been some major works done to incorporate a bedroom and shower room.

WIAWSNB

I'm guessing it's an en-suite bedroom extension with carport at the front, all built together in a hopefully cohesive design? Or possibly it was a large garage which had half converted into the bedroom, and the remaining garage left open so now more like a port? Either way, I understand it's now past any action from Planning or Building Control after 40 years, with rare exceptions such as being found to be unsafe.
So, I'd have no concerns about that aspect, other that the obvious of insulation levels, etc.
The first floor extension appears to have been handled correctly, although I don't know what 'Approved with endorsements' means. 
As you say, you don't want to bring that specific house under the council's spotlight (although, again, surely way beyond any action), but I see no risk in calling up BC and asking for its meaning as a general term. 
What does Google have to say?

sheramber

Approved with endorsements sounds like the build is approved in principle but there are  requirements  to be met.

Dies the seller have B C  certificate? 

LMS94

lincroft1710 said:

What sort of "car port extension"? Car ports are usually pretty basic structures, so there must have been some major works done to incorporate a bedroom and shower room.

Yes, the carport extension has had joists & floorboards fit with a flat roof, window to the front & rear.

WIAWSNB said:

I'm guessing it's an en-suite bedroom extension with carport at the front, all built together in a hopefully cohesive design? Or possibly it was a large garage which had half converted into the bedroom, and the remaining garage left open so now more like a port? Either way, I understand it's now past any action from Planning or Building Control after 40 years, with rare exceptions such as being found to be unsafe.
So, I'd have no concerns about that aspect, other that the obvious of insulation levels, etc.
The first floor extension appears to have been handled correctly, although I don't know what 'Approved with endorsements' means. 
As you say, you don't want to bring that specific house under the council's spotlight (although, again, surely way beyond any action), but I see no risk in calling up BC and asking for its meaning as a general term. 
What does Google have to say?

Correct, it looks like there was land to the side of the house where previous owners built the side/front walls and put joists/floorboards to add the new room.

The seller has suggested some insulation work has been done, but if needed we can fit internal insulation.

I spoke to Leeds BC and they couldn't advise what "Approved with endorsements" meant. The seems to have been built to a good standard according to my surveyor.

sheramber said:

Approved with endorsements sounds like the build is approved in principle but there are  requirements  to be met.

Dies the seller have B C  certificate? 

This is what I thought, the council said it would've all been done on paper back in 2004 so it could be a case of the online system hasn't been updated properly.

The extension is of good standard so I've contacted the council for them to investigate whether it was signed off back in 2004, afterall, indemnity only covers if they take action which is unlikely since it's over 20 years old etc.

user1977

Also it's now too late for you to solve it with indemnity insurance as you've already chatted with the council about it... 

LMS94

user1977 said:

Also it's now too late for you to solve it with indemnity insurance as you've already chatted with the council about it... 

The council are already aware as there’s a building control application from 20 years ago. 

It seems it’s been approved but with some minor changes and then never had final sign off. 

It’s a tricky position to be in, yes, you don’t want to alert the council, but you also don’t want to buy a house with a poorly built extension.

I’m presuming the policy is would only know I’d contacted them if I claimed on the policy, which by all account no one ever does..

user1977

In which case what’s the point of getting it?

LMS94

user1977 said:

In which case what’s the point of getting it?

To satisfy the lender? Box ticking exercise by all accounts..

WIAWSNB

You should have zero conformity issues at all, not BC, not PP, not mortgage.
Now't.

LMS94

WIAWSNB said:

You should have zero conformity issues at all, not BC, not PP, not mortgage.
Now't.

Yeah, ideally. The house is in the perfect location and is exactly what we’re looking for. 

We managed to get it £30k cheaper than advertised due to the seller wanting to reserve her next home