Victorian house: converting it back from three flats into one house...

[Parrotface]

Hello everyone,
I’m moving my family back nearer to london, and in leafy Surrey, there’s a limited choice of affordable family homes.

I’ve seen a lovely Victorian at a good price but there’s a snag....

It’s currently arranged as three flats.. I’m minded anyway to keep one flat to help while my wife is off work.

I’m lead to believe though that Elmbridge council do not like to reduce the amount of ‘units’ available and I’d unlikely get permission to convert two of the three flats into one....
Can anybody comment on that? And also the legality of doing it anyway and the consequences of that action.

Any other thoughts on a situation such as this would be appreciated...I’m wet behind the ears with things like this.

Mark

 

[Notch7]

Nice area around there -Ive done work n Hersham / cobham area.

dont know the answer to your question though!

 

[Nakajo]

Ask the Council; in recent times, this has become something of a grey area. I attended a committee hearing on precisely this subject (not my project) which turned essentially on whether the Councillors thought the applicant was a nice chap. They did, and now he has a house. See https://planninglawblog.blogspot.com/2016/08/amalgamating-two-or-more-dwellings-3.html

 

[cdbe]

Interesting. What happens with the +3% sdlt payable on second and third homes?

 

[Parrotface]

Interesting. What happens with the +3% sdlt payable on second and third homes?

Eh??? Not quite sure what that means- more detail please

 

[cdbe]

If you buy more than one property you have to pay an extra 3% stamp duty on the second and subsequent ones (it's aimed at second home and buy to let purchasers). I suppose it depends whether it's legally 1 house or 3 flats.