Loft bedroom records cause problems adding bathroom?

Loft bedroom records cause problems adding bathroom?

14:03 PM, 26th November 2018, About 5 years ago 13

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4 years ago, we bought a first and second-floor maisonette with a huge loft bedroom, listed as a bedroom by the estate agent, referred to as a bedroom by the valuer, and not queried by our conveyancer.

I recently found out, though, that Building Control have no record of any loft work there. I asked Building Control, as we would like to put a bathroom in that area. The absence of any record could be, because the loft is an original space or a historic conversion. In any case, the work certainly wouldn’t be up to modern standards (e.g. insulation), though presumably is structurally sound.

Building Control tell me, if we put a bathroom in there, we would have to bring the whole loft up to modern standards, unless it is an original (which it could be).

My question is: should my solicitor have picked up on the absence of building regs during conveyancing?

And should the estate agent have listed the house as 2 bedrooms?

And do we need to get a surveyor round to certify whether the loft is an original, as well as a structural engineer to certify whether the floor could take a bathroom?

Thank you.

Ryan


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Comments

John Pettman

14:08 PM, 1st December 2018, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Ryan Whelpdale at 01/12/2018 - 13:14
When you purchased the seller would, have completed a property information form and a question would have been asked if any building works had been carried out , This assumes that the person you purchased from was not the original builder. I suggest that you examine the original planning consent and the [plans that went with it. I F your local authority still have it
John Pettman

Ryan Whelpdale

15:08 PM, 1st December 2018, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by John Pettman at 01/12/2018 - 14:08
Thanks, John. Yes, we examined the questionnaire, and that seller hadn't made any alterations - he had only had it a year, and the building is over 100 (probably the loft too, though we don't know). Thanks for your help.

H B

18:44 PM, 3rd December 2018, About 5 years ago

The status of the conversion should have been picked up during conveyancing.
If the conversion is an old one (20 years plus), and structurally sound it can be accepted by the council as a recognised as a habital space.

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