I'm in the process of buying a house and the seller has created an attic room. When such a conversion is made what would the seller need to have got in order with regards to planining permission and buliding regs etc.? I think we need to make sure that the conversion is all above board!
TIA
He should have got planning permission or, if PP not required, a certificate of permitted development, and Building Regulations approval. Approx how old is the house, and how old the conversion?
Owain
I may be wrong; but if the Estate Agent's detail specify 'Attic Room' (aka weasel-words) rather than 'Loft'; it's a fair indication that Planning Permission has not been obtained, it wouldn't be needed, and the Attic-space need not comply with any Building Regulations which mainly are for 'habitable rooms' and cover strength, thermal insulation, ventilation, fire-resistance and access. Are you trying to say; - 'I'm in the process ... attic room ... where people may be sleeping ...'?
The estate agent did specify "Attic Room" rather than bedroom, although when we viewed it, it did contain a bed but personally we're more likely to use it as a study. However, part of the reason we put the offer down is because it had an extra room which, who knows, in the future we may want to use as a bedroom.
Are you saying it could be badly built since you only need to pass it through building regs. if you intend to *sleep* in it? I have seen the word habitable used in building regs. guides. Does this refer to a bedroom rather than something like a study?
Thanks very much for your reply!
Yep: a room containing a bed doth not a bedroom make! The Estate Agent is using _weasel words_ as he's liable if he mistakenly describes the space as a bedroom.
Before using it in the future you would be personally liable to ensure that it met the criteria of a bedroom . {Assuming it's a house rather than a bungalow - there's fr'instnace a requirement for self-closers on doors etc. 'escape' methods ...}. [Recently a nearby bungalow was an executor's sale: it had an 'Attic Room', complete with dormer window, a boarded floor, plaster(boarded) walls et. al ... the purchaser had to apply and obtain Building Reg's approval (Building Notice) to make it a 'bedroom', (quite an expensive operation)]
No! It _may_ have been built 'like the proverbial outhouse' ... :) But it's like Sherlock Holme's dog ... the odd thing, it didn't make it's presence known by barking, ... why is 'your' room described as an 'Attic Room', could it not have a 'sign-off' from a BCO? Ask the Estate-Agent for a _written_ statement.
The regulations which are intended to safeguard life in general - such as balustrude heights, stairs, doorways etc - talk about 'habitable' spaces differentiating from 'kitchens, bathrooms, toilets .. etc. (one is presumed to not spend long periods in such room and to remain awake). 'Living Rooms' such as lounges, study, 'media-rooms' et.al. are ipso facto 'habitable' but the Regs are more specific about rooms where one may be sleeping. [A fire might erupt two floors down and the building might be ablaze before a sleeping person becomes aware ... ] In general: after accidents happens, the cry goes up; - 'Something must be done!" ... and 'we' have Building Regulations which may be considered as the collective wisdom of UK Housing - our book of 'Somethings' !
Funnily enough our place has just such a room. I use it as my study. But when we viewed the property the room had a mattress in situ.
We've just finished conducting our (hopefully) architect round prior to doubling the size of the house (including attic space) and he, amid much teeth sucking, speculated that we might have to sell the attic to the BCO as increased storage space - something we manifestly lack, hence the building work.
Richard
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