Building notice for HMO

[tony1851]

take proper legal advice from your solicitor.
[/b]

That's the last place he'll get useful advice from; have you read all the threads on this forum about how thick solicitors are about building regs/planning etc!

 

[Suited72]

The mistake you really need to avoid making again is renovating properties and renting them out when you are ignorant of the regulations which apply.

Bear in mind everything I've done to the house and what was planned without regs & my ideas for the design evolved by taking advice from various qualified trades. The property is now safe, dry and useable. It stood empty for years, owned by a man in old age care. During these years, 4 full ridge tiles were nestled in the guttering, the walls running along the pavement were without mortar and bellowing out, with some sections fallen. The council didn't give a shi# then. It was actually a danger then.. But there's no reg for that eh?

But u think I'm the problem? Is this really an example of me as a landlord trying to flount regs or being negligent of responsibility or is it not more of an example of government & council that's lost touch with reality and left electricians consistently fighting over things like socket height regs and where it might apply to what part of building regs.

And the council being landlords themselves with a portfolio of 2 million homes and not 1 insulated or kept to the level mine are. I've significantly increased the epg of my buildings, whilst they've done nothing with theirs but want to comment on mine. I've recently seen their 'better homes' program locally, where they'd rewired some typically old folks homes. I happened to notice they've put wired smokes in but no heats in the kitchens. I didn't really care about that but whilst they insist to change my plan because my house has multiple occupants at the same time, their assessment of a pensioners home is that heats in the kitchen wasn't necessary and yet the latter is more, or at least as likely to need one in my opinion.

Another example : My original sound proofing plan envolving sound breaker bars, according to my builder, would give better results than sound lagged cavities with dual acoustic boards mounted directly to the joists as this has nothing to combat impact noise. But the council want the lesser good....but as they won't be testing it I'll never know but forums lead me to believe the builder is correct.

Be mindful of what you argue for, a society ran the way you seem to encourage will not be one where you are free to think, say or do..

Oh, and sheds are banned on grounds of houses where I live, and vans, and fences, and no trees, and anything that alters the open fronted appearance of the area. I don't see how you can like being controlled.[/quote]

 

[ban-all-sheds]

That's the last place he'll get useful advice from; have you read all the threads on this forum about how thick solicitors are about building regs/planning etc!

Err... no.

Some kind of landlord's association then.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Bear in mind everything I've done to the house and what was planned without regs & my ideas for the design evolved by taking advice from various qualified trades.

And not one of those qualified tradesmen pointed out to you that there are laws and regulations to consider?

The property is now safe, dry and useable. It stood empty for years, owned by a man in old age care. During these years, 4 full ridge tiles were nestled in the guttering, the walls running along the pavement were without mortar and bellowing out, with some sections fallen. The council didn't give a shi# then. It was actually a danger then.. But there's no reg for that eh?

There probably is, but what's your point?

But u think I'm the problem?

I didn't say that. I said that if you want to continue to be a property renovating/converting landlord you need to remedy your ignorance.

Is this really an example of me as a landlord trying to flount regs or being negligent of responsibility

Not as far as I can see. What I can see is someone suddenly encountering issues of which he was unaware because of his ignorance.

or is it not more of an example of government & council that's lost touch with reality

Where on earth did that come from?

and left electricians consistently fighting over things like socket height regs and where it might apply to what part of building regs.

Only those unable to read simple English and to bring to bear an IQ bigger than their shoe size.


but a

Another example : My original sound proofing plan envolving sound breaker bars, according to my builder, would give better results than sound lagged cavities with dual acoustic boards mounted directly to the joists as this has nothing to combat impact noise. But the council want the lesser good....

They want a certain level of performance. You are free to use any method which will achieve that performance. You should know that.

Be mindful of what you argue for, a society ran the way you seem to encourage will not be one where you are free to think, say or do..

And I've argued for what, where, exactly?

Oh, and sheds are banned on grounds of houses where I live, and vans, and fences, and no trees, and anything that alters the open fronted appearance of the area. I don't see how you can like being controlled.

You should see some of the disgusting destruction that is done in places where planning laws are lax, or unenforced.

But I fear that if you are conflating fire precautions in HMOs with conservation areas you have lost the plot.

 

[Suited72]

And not one of those qualified tradesmen pointed out to you that there are laws and regulations to consider?

Of course, but the guidelines I gave them were that it fell under the same regs as a normal dwelling, as bc had told me. You seem to have missed the point..

There probably is, but what's your point?

My point here is that the council aren't concerned with safety or raising standards but making money. They've already adopted the policy of doing nothing to their 2 million homes, now, so have I. Seems to be that they leave shi# landlords alone.

Only those unable to read simple English and to bring to bear an IQ bigger than their shoe size

Well my opinion on this is that a person living in the house and paying for it to be refitted is best placed to decide socket switch height best for them. That's the idea of owning something. It's not a public amenity. There's nothing wrong with electricians taking customers requirements into a higher consideration than a blanket regulation when it contains plyable words like 'should'

And I've argued for what, where, exactly?

I feel you've argued the view that the council holds. You have argued that I've not complied with regs and why (but you still haven't linked to a document that shows me where) whilst another poster has argued that regs have gone beyond their role.

You should see some of the disgusting destruction that is done in places where planning laws are lax, or unenforced.

I'll say this much. Modern housing is cheap, in-imaginative and generally awful. I'll take your pre-planning house over a new build on a new estate ANYDAY. I'll take some photos of housing which the council were fully involved with if you like, plenty empty if it's what you like.
[/quote]

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Of course, but the guidelines I gave them were that it fell under the same regs as a normal dwelling, as bc had told me. You seem to have missed the point..

From a Building Regulations perspective, i.e. what Building Control are concerned with, the regulations are the same as a normal dwelling. But because it's an HMO, the council (another part of it, not Building Control) may have other requirements (nothing to do with the Building Regulations).

My point here is that the council aren't concerned with safety or raising standards but making money. They've already adopted the policy of doing nothing to their 2 million homes, now, so have I. Seems to be that they leave shi# landlords alone.

So you aspire to being a shi# landlord? Well done.

Well my opinion on this is that a person living in the house and paying for it to be refitted is best placed to decide socket switch height best for them. That's the idea of owning something. It's not a public amenity. There's nothing wrong with electricians taking customers requirements into a higher consideration than a blanket regulation when it contains plyable words like 'should'

You seem to have missed the point. There is nothing in any regulations which governs the heights of sockets in that situation. The only electricians who think there are, who think there is even a "should", are those who are unwilling or unable to read simple English.

I feel you've argued the view that the council holds.

You said "Be mindful of what you argue for, a society ran the way you seem to encourage will not be one where you are free to think, say or do.."

How on earth does me trying to get you to understand that your council may have rules for HMOs become in your mind me arguing in favour of a totalitarian regime where people are not free to think, say or do?

You have argued that I've not complied with regs and why (but you still haven't linked to a document that shows me where)

I've given you links to loads of information which shows that HMOs may have requirements which are due to them being HMOs, not due to them being buildings. I've given you links to loads of information which shows that your council has the legal right to mandate things which stem from the property being an HMO and not just a building.

whilst another poster has argued that regs have gone beyond their role.

It's possible that they have - ignorance about regulations is not confined to thick electricians or wannabe shi# landlords.

If you want to know what your council requires of your type of HMO in your location, and on what legal basis, you have to ask them, as you've been advised to do several times.

I'll say this much. Modern housing is cheap, in-imaginative and generally awful. I'll take your pre-planning house over a new build on a new estate ANYDAY. I'll take some photos of housing which the council were fully involved with if you like, plenty empty if it's what you like.

I was thinking more of other parts of the world where people are allowed, or can get away with, throwing up whatever they want.