Building regs and cellar.

[Pointydog1]

I have a large cellar in a back to back Victorian terraced house.

It is platerboarded out and used as an additional room. It has a door yo the outside. It is not samp.

I have posted on the the building forum to see of there oS any cost effective way to get it to meet regs with regard to waterproofing and thermal, but I suspect there isn't.

I would like to make the existing door / window a bit bigger. My question is if I apply to building control what could happen?

Could they refuse to allow me a larger french door because it is not supposed to be a habitable room?

also if they do take action what could happen? I cpuld taken the sofa out but I can't really undo the ork as it is part of the house. The cellar needs a ceiling and lights anyway.

Is It the same as a loft where you can be banned from using it?

Should I just forget the door and leave as is. It was done before I bought the house and I would imagine if I sold it it would just be an rather neat cellar. Nothing more.

What do you think?

 

[tony1851]

They can't stop you using the room for your own (domestic) purposes. If you want to widen the door, that would be a structural alteration and building regs apply eg they would want to see what lintel you put in - but beyond that legally they can't make you do anything else to the room, or 'ban' you from using it (unless you're running a business from there).