barney1979
14-01-2008, 16:32 PM
Hi,
I need help! I am currently in the process of purchasing 3 x HMO properties and am in the joyous process of going through conveyancing.
It has transpired that although the council housing team are happy these meet HMO standards, the planning department - keen as ever to get there 2 pennies worth, need a certificate of lawfulness (COL) for change of use from residential to bedsits (which they haven't got).
There guidelines are that for every house with 6 or more bedsits (these have 7), it must have 35sq m of garden space (it doesn't), 1 off road parking space for every 4 residents (1 house doesn't) and a general standard of amenity which is acceptable (which it does).
Now, if i can prove that they have been used as bedsits for 10 or more years then I automatically get a COL. However, the current owners are elderly (selling on behalf of their son who unfortunately passed away) and the paper trail is less than ideal shall we say. So getting utility bills etc may be very difficult.
Clearly my mortgage company aren't going to lend on a property without a COL.
Does anybody have any ideas? I'm thinking this is a deal stopper or get rid of 2 people (thus making the houses 5 bedsits) and getting underneath their COL do-da.
Help MUCH appreciated.:)
Cheers
Mark
I need help! I am currently in the process of purchasing 3 x HMO properties and am in the joyous process of going through conveyancing.
It has transpired that although the council housing team are happy these meet HMO standards, the planning department - keen as ever to get there 2 pennies worth, need a certificate of lawfulness (COL) for change of use from residential to bedsits (which they haven't got).
There guidelines are that for every house with 6 or more bedsits (these have 7), it must have 35sq m of garden space (it doesn't), 1 off road parking space for every 4 residents (1 house doesn't) and a general standard of amenity which is acceptable (which it does).
Now, if i can prove that they have been used as bedsits for 10 or more years then I automatically get a COL. However, the current owners are elderly (selling on behalf of their son who unfortunately passed away) and the paper trail is less than ideal shall we say. So getting utility bills etc may be very difficult.
Clearly my mortgage company aren't going to lend on a property without a COL.
Does anybody have any ideas? I'm thinking this is a deal stopper or get rid of 2 people (thus making the houses 5 bedsits) and getting underneath their COL do-da.
Help MUCH appreciated.:)
Cheers
Mark