Building regulation problem Information and advice on lofts and loft conversions. Find solutions and post your questions here...

[donmaico]

I am thinking about buying a house which apparently has been granted building permission for turning it into a 5 bedroom house.The vendors, though , made a loft conversion without building consent and now want to sell. I am rather confused by this situation and wondered where that would leave me if I chose to buy it .Presumably I would be taking on whatever problems the vendor has been left with so i am wondering how I can find out what those are and whether the building application could be made retrospective rather than returning the building back to its original condition which would be such a waste.Presumably a surveyor would be able to advise me on any shortfalls on the work so far carried out, or maybe a council building inspector. Can anyone here advise me please? thanks

[donmaico]

[quote="donmaico"]I am thinking about buying a house which apparently has been granted building permission for turning it into a 5 bedroom house.The vendors, though , made a loft conversion without building consent and now want to sell. I am rather confused by this situation and wondered where that would leave me if I chose to buy it .Presumably I would be taking on whatever problems the vendor has been left with so i am wondering how I can find out what those are and whether the building application could be made retrospective rather than returning the building back to its original condition which would be such a waste.Presumably a surveyor would be able to advise me on any shortfalls on the work so far carried out, or maybe a council building inspector. Can anyone here advise me please? thanks[/quote]

Hmm apologies for i got my facts completely wrong.
Planning permission was granted to convert the property into a 5 bedroom house but the owners of the property did not obtain Building regulations approval

[eljaybee]

Where about are you? if in England or Wales you maybe able to require the vendor to obtain a Regularisation Certificate but that depends upon when the works were done.

If it can be done I would require the vendor to get this otherwise when you come to sell you may be required to do it and with then have to pay out for any works that need correcting