Do i need Building regs for a lean to

[Steven B Cox]

Help please? I'm about to buy a house and I have been told by our solicitor, the lean to extension doesn't have building regs, the size is 10' 6" x 6', has been made habitable with electrics and water all set up as a utility room, the room is open to the kitchen and has a set of patio doors leading to the garden. All made up and decorated really nice.
I'm getting mixed answers from the internet as to weather or not it needs them.

I have uploaded a couple of photos of the lean to inside and out, you will see the back of the house with the double patio doors on the right, this is the lean to in question

Any help would be grateful

Thanks Steve

 

[wessex101]

I don't know where you would have received mixed answers, that clearly should have required building regulations approval. As would the dormer loft conversion and possibly the side extension.

 

[Steven B Cox]

Hi, we have seen the building regs for the loft conversion and the dormer, but nothing on the side extension they call a lean to. i read on a web site because its under a certain floor area this will not require them. The lean to was built before the loft conversion was erected

 

[JP_]

Planning may not have been needed (although side extensions are not Permitted Development) but building regs would have been, especially as there is plumbing and electrics.

What is that in the bottom right inside - looks like a hole in the wall?

And those plug sockets were not well planned ... doesn't mean there's anything wrong, but a Part P electrician might have planned it differently.

But, you can take out indemnity insurance, and if no regs then well, it my cost you £8k to resolve everything, so knock some cash off.

 

[Steven B Cox]

Hi, there are two holes in the wall both are pet flaps, one for a cat and the other dog.

We have spoken about indemnity insurance and will take that out if necessary as the last resort just to save time, but would prefer to make sure we are not going to have issues in the long run. It looks a professional build and done by a professional builder but we have not been issued with any paperwork to prove anything.

Thanks for your reply.

 

[^woody^]

i read on a web site because its under a certain floor area this will not require them

Block that website

 

[wessex101]

It looks a professional build and done by a professional builder

That'll be one of those "professional" builders who have never heard of the building regulations. Nice one.

 

[mrrusty]

Q1. Is it old enough to be out of time for building control/planning to take action. If yes go to Q2
Q2 Have you had a survey that says all is good If yes go to Q3
Q3 Have you had an electrical inspection and test that says all is good If yes go to Q4
Q4 Can you buy it /get a mortgage without a completion certificate or indemnity. If yes go to Q5
Q5 Buy it, move in, be happy.

 

[^woody^]

What happens when the op comes to sell in the future?

 

[wessex101]

In my experience there are only 2 reasons someone would build an extension without Building Regulations approval.

1. They are completely incompetent and did not know about the building regulations. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for the build quality.
2. They fully intended to build the extension to an inferior standard that would not comply with building regulations.

So unless you arrange for a full inspection that would involve exposing the foundations and opening up the floor, walls and roof construction then all you can do is assume the extension is sub-standard and proceed on the basis that it is simply a non-habitable outbuilding. If the house still works for you on that basis, the room is only a utility room after all, and the selling price reflects that then crack on. Otherwise you probably need to re-assess whether you want to proceed with the purchase or whether you want to re-negotiate the price. I would certainly be looking at the latter.

 

[mrrusty]

What happens when the op comes to sell in the future?

If it's out of time and all good on survey now, exactly the same I would suspect, except it will be even longer since the work was done. Mirrors my own experience with last house.

.

 

[^woody^]

If it's out of time and all good on survey now, exactly the same I would suspect, except it will be even longer since the work was done. Mirrors my own experience with last house.

.

Yes it's out of time etc, but that won't stop the new solicitor asking for b/regs and potentially putting buyers off and the op reducing the price or incurring costs if he's in a chain.

The answer would be to get it regularised and for the op to finance that via a reduction in the asking price.

Also the op would be buying an authorised and incomplete extension - insurance implications.

 

[mrrusty]

In my experience there are only 2 reasons someone would build an extension without Building Regulations approval.

1. They are completely incompetent and did not know about the building regulations. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for the build quality.
2. They fully intended to build the extension to an inferior standard that would not comply with building regulations.

So unless you arrange for a full inspection that would involve exposing the foundations and opening up the floor, walls and roof construction then all you can do is assume the extension is sub-standard and proceed on the basis that it is simply a non-habitable outbuilding. If the house still works for you on that basis, the room is only a utility room after all, and the selling price reflects that then crack on. Otherwise you probably need to re-assess whether you want to proceed with the purchase or whether you want to re-negotiate the price. I would certainly be looking at the latter.

There is a 3rd and 4th reason. 3) The build was done properly by a competent person who for whatever reason couldn't be bothered with the paperwork. 4) the build was done under regs but the paperwork is lost/buried in archives and the council can't be bothered to dig for it (My own case - last house - I know an extension in late 80's was done under regs, but the council denied all knowledge)

If an extension has been up for several years and shows no sign of problems and a professional survey also says no sign of problems, then why should you assume it is bad? IMHO it is more realistic to assume it is good and the rest is just paperwork.

 

[wessex101]

There is a 3rd and 4th reason. 3) The build was done properly by a competent person who for whatever reason couldn't be bothered with the paperwork. Very professional, that really fills me with confidence that it was a quality job. 4) the build was done under regs but the paperwork is lost/buried in archives and the council can't be bothered to dig for it (My own case - last house - I know an extension in late 80's was done under regs, but the council denied all knowledge) In which case the work wasn't done without building regs approval it is just a case of misplaced paperwork. The Building Regulations Applications Register is a public document and should be available for inspection so if the council cannot be bothered to look just visit the town hall and ask to see the register. Although trying to check work that is 30-40 years old is a bit weird.