No front door!

socks_uk

We have just been to view a dormer bungalow that used to have a front door on the side of the house.
The door has been bricked up to extend the bathroom (which looks lovely) but I have it in my head that a house MUST have two exits.

It has outward opening windows downstairs that could be used as emergency exits, the same upstairs in the dormers and sliding patio doors next to the only door entrance/exit at the rear of the property. There is a lockable mailbox screwed onto the wall at the front of the house.

Anyone got any thoughts on the 2 door/exits 'law' I somehow thought there was??

Jill

Dee123_2

Can't be. I live in a one bed house back to back house (one of many in my street) and all of us only have one exterior door.

I'm sure someone will be around with more detailed info shortly.

Dee

YorkshireBoy

There's no law that says you have to have more than one door - my parents' 13 year old semi-bungalow only has one.

I think the key issue here is did they obtain "building notice" approval from the local council before bricking up the doorway? Building notice is not to be confused with "planning permission", ie you don't need to draw up plans for minor work such as this. However, you have to consider means of escape, window opening size, smoke detectors etc.

I'm not sure you can have access to council records on somebody elses property, but would have thought your solicitor could once the conveyancing work had started.

Alternatively, you could ask the vendors if they followed all appropriate protocol when they had the work carried out.

By the way, what's the significance of the "lockable mailbox screwed onto the wall at the front of the house"?

ioscorpio

Cos there won't be a letterbox in the front door if there is no front door

YorkshireBoy

iomexico wrote:

Cos there won't be a letterbox in the front door if there is no front door

Ahh, I see now...

It was the "used to have a front door on the side of the house" at the start of the post, and the "lockable mailbox screwed onto the wall at the front" at the end that I didn't link. I just concentrated on the gist of the problem in the middle!

Anyway, we now have a mental picture of the bungalow!!

socks_uk

iomexico wrote:

Cos there won't be a letterbox in the front door if there is no front door

Exactly right!

I don't know why I thought a house needed 2 doors, just did.


Jill

nearlyrich

We have a side (front) door that we don't use much at all, the main enterance is via the back door into the kitchen because we live in a cul-de-sac and the parking is at the back.

I must admit I thought it was weird when we came to view it but I have got used to it over the years. We don't get many casual callers ( political canvassers & Jehovaha's witnesses etc) so there is a benefit.;)

elvis_bloggs

nearlyrich wrote:

We have a side (front) door that we don't use much at all, the main enterance is via the back door into the kitchen because we live in a cul-de-sac and the parking is at the back.

I must admit I thought it was weird when we came to view it but I have got used to it over the years. We don't get many casual callers ( political canvassers & Jehovaha's witnesses etc) so there is a benefit.;)

Any burglars yet.

withabix

There is no requirement for more than one external door on a house.

There is also normally no Building Control approval requirement for bricking up a door.

There may be however for the work that has taken place extending the bathroom.

Simply solved - ask the vendors for copies of Building Control approvals.