• Wanting To Do Improvement Work On An Extension With No Completion Certificate

    By Guest on 28th Sep 2019

    We would like to do work on an extension off the back of the kitchen. The original work was given permission as a conservatory but in the fact the final work would probably be considered an extension as there are two solid walls, electric sockets and a radiator, and no door separating the kitchen from the extension, the extension never got its completion certificate. We now want to replace the glass roof with a solid conservatory roof but are worried that if we approach the council for permission it will unearth the issue of no original completion certificate and the council could take out an injunction or the installation company could refuse to do the work. We did take out indemnity insurance and the extension was done 16 years ago, in 2003. Would this cause an issue in us being able to get the work done? What are our options?

  • 2 Answers

    By Guest on 28/09/2019

    Wait till 20 years have passed since construction was completed and you are then reasonably safe from a planning permission perspective. I say reasonably safe because if (as someone did constructing a hidden castle) they deem your replacement of the roof to be the final stage of the building project they could still enforce. Essentially though the more time that passes the safer it is. Contacting the council will invalidate your indemnity policy.

    it sounds like you might be seeking building regulations approval for the roof rather than planning permission - they are two different things. The safest option of course would be to leave the structure as it is. If you wish to replace the roof then either do so without permission and take the risk, or contact the council and take the risk that they could (albeit unlikely) take action over the extension. How was the build quality? It's not a point of law but if the extension is well-built, clean and solid looking (but not so clean as to look recently built!) and the neighbours aren't complaining about it, I suspect the council is less likely to seek to take enforcement action than if the building looks like it's about to collapse and people scurry past in fear for their lives.

    www.notaryexpress.co.uk

  • By Guest on 28/09/2019

    Depends how risk averse you are? In your position I would contact a private building control firm. They will ensure that what you propose complies with building regulations. The private building control firm will issue an initial notice to inform your local authority building control what you doing eg replacing roof on conservatory. Will your local authority building control inform the planning department? Possibly or probably not.

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