Loft Room?

[Anonymous]

We are in the process of buying a 100 yr old, mid terrace home. The property includes a space described as a "loft room / study". This is a fully boarded loft with velux window and carpet and is accessed by a staircase from the 1st floor, with a door at the top (not a fire door).

Our Solicitor has told us that they can find no Building Regs Approval for this work. It is unclear when the work was done, could have been before 1985. The Vendor has lived there for only a short amount of time, and has no knowledge of when the work was carried out.

When viewing the property with the Agent I asked him if the work had regs approval, he assured me it was all fine.

My question is - should we worry about this. Is this one of those things that people just get on with? Do you just claim the room is uninhabitable? Do you think this type of conversion will become more of a problem when the new seller information laws come into place?

Thanks,
Olly

 

[Anonymous]

If the conversion has been done without building regs approval, you can apply retrospectively but this will involve opening up areas of the floor walls and ceilings for inspection. If it doesn't comply, additional work will have to be carried out for the room to be classed as a habitable room. If yu simply want to use the room as storage it may be okay, but it shouldn't be used as a bedroom. If it can't be referred to as habitable room this will no doubt influence the value of the property.

 

[Anonymous]

You can only apply for retrospective Building Regs approval (a Regularisation Certificate) if the works were done since 11 November 1985. This is the date that the regs came into force allowing retrospective applications.

If you have no bullding regs approval for conversion of the loft to a habitable room then you can't class the room as a bedroom when buying/selling and you would be contravening building regs if using it as a habitable room (Local Authority can enforce against this, but it is rare).

No problems if it is to be used for storage/occasional use. I have known some people to be a bit funny about this (common) issue when buying though. (My experience of the issue is as a Local Authority Planning Officer).

 

[Anonymous]

Thankyou for your response so far. I doubt the work was done before 1985. But without investigation it is difficult to tell. The room has been used as a habitable room, and includes a radiator. We are having a full survey. The valuation has already taken place, and the results show the room was classed by the surveyor/valuer as habitable. I think it will be next to impossible to get the loft up to building regs. The stairs from the 1st to the ground floor go in to the lounge and not a hall. I also doubt if the joists making the loft floor are of the standard required. Are we just making a fuss about nothing? We have seen other places with simillar non-reg rooms, and as was said, they are quite common.

Any advice welcome.
Thanks again