Cableguy
05-02-2008, 11:58 AM
Ok long story but bare with me please.
I bought a flat 3 years ago on a leasehold with nearly 100 years left on the lease. Its an old house converted in to two flats. The attic space is mine and the basement space is the ground floors.
When we bought the place we wanted to convert the attic, the seller mumbled something about planning already being in place and that its floored already.
Anyway after a year of living there we have no evidence of planning permission etc., but im led to believe the only thing needed is regs providing the outside isnt altered and obviously permission from the lesse.
Since we needed the extra space we "finished off" the attic to a point where we could use it , basically all we did was plasterboard the walls and fit some skirting board and we now use it as a office/storage space.
The floor that exists was investigated and very strong steel I beams have been fitted in to the brick at either end and then wooden battons used on top. We can happily jump around up there and theres been no problems.
Its coming to the point now where the flat has served its puprose and its time to move on , so theres two options with the attic space...
1. Remove our makeshift staircase and block the hole up replacing it with a normal sized hatch, de dress the attic and sell it as being storage only ( believe no regs or planning are needed to do this ) ?
2. Apply for permission from landlord to make it in to a livable space , apply for retrospectiver building regs and get it sorted , fit a window and sell for more cash aswell as remove any quarms about the space.
Can someone give me some advice and also a detailed plan of how to go about route 2 .
Thanks guys , been lurking for a while on here but my registration e-mail has just came through after 4 weeks ! :confused:
Cheers
I bought a flat 3 years ago on a leasehold with nearly 100 years left on the lease. Its an old house converted in to two flats. The attic space is mine and the basement space is the ground floors.
When we bought the place we wanted to convert the attic, the seller mumbled something about planning already being in place and that its floored already.
Anyway after a year of living there we have no evidence of planning permission etc., but im led to believe the only thing needed is regs providing the outside isnt altered and obviously permission from the lesse.
Since we needed the extra space we "finished off" the attic to a point where we could use it , basically all we did was plasterboard the walls and fit some skirting board and we now use it as a office/storage space.
The floor that exists was investigated and very strong steel I beams have been fitted in to the brick at either end and then wooden battons used on top. We can happily jump around up there and theres been no problems.
Its coming to the point now where the flat has served its puprose and its time to move on , so theres two options with the attic space...
1. Remove our makeshift staircase and block the hole up replacing it with a normal sized hatch, de dress the attic and sell it as being storage only ( believe no regs or planning are needed to do this ) ?
2. Apply for permission from landlord to make it in to a livable space , apply for retrospectiver building regs and get it sorted , fit a window and sell for more cash aswell as remove any quarms about the space.
Can someone give me some advice and also a detailed plan of how to go about route 2 .
Thanks guys , been lurking for a while on here but my registration e-mail has just came through after 4 weeks ! :confused:
Cheers