No planning permission

[cid]

In 2003 I asked my local LPA for a form to apply for permission to build a small conservatory to the rear of my property. I receivd the forms, completing them stating I was to put a tiled roof on the structure, I also submitted a hand drawn plan on the form and submitted this to the Local Council. I received a letter stating that I did not need planning permission or building regulations and I have proof of same. I now wish to sell the property the structure has now been up for 8 years and lived in. Is my small conservatory (3m x 3m) legal.

[midlandslandlord]

In 2003 I asked my local LPA for a form to apply for permission to build a small conservatory to the rear of my property. I receivd the forms, completing them stating I was to put a tiled roof on the structure, I also submitted a hand drawn plan on the form and submitted this to the Local Council. I received a letter stating that I did not need planning permission or building regulations and I have proof of same. I now wish to sell the property the structure has now been up for 8 years and lived in. Is my small conservatory (3m x 3m) legal.

And your question is ....?

ML

[jeffrey]

Whether the conservatory is lawful.

[Brixtonia]

I think ML means is, given what you have said in your OP, why are you concerned that it is not legal?

[midlandslandlord]

I received a letter stating that I did not need planning permission or building regulations and I have proof of same.


My view is that this letter should answer that question for any purchasers.

However, if you have a purchasing solicitor with barbed wire underpants, then it may prove useful to have a "Certificate of Lawful Development" from your Council, which should give the aforementioned solicitor a nice warm feeling in their undercarriage.

I'd phone up first to check the process, without identifying the exact property (always a good precaution at first!), and mention your letter, and how long it has been up for.

There will be a fee.

The only issue I can see is if someone made a mistake when informing you that you didn't need any planning permissions (eg if your house has lost its automatic "permitted development right" to have a conservatory built). That is a non-issue as non-permitted developments generally become immune after 4 years, anyway.

In theory, for building regs enforcement action can be for up to 10 years, but if they are worried about that for a conservatory you can probably sell them an insurance policy against being eaten by the Loch Ness monster.

So have a glass of wine and some twiglets, and get a Lawful Development Certificate if you have any worries about nervous solicitors.

Rgds

ML

[jeffrey]

Or just ask your solicitor to get a ready-to-issue Indemnity Insurance policy covering it.