Q. I am thinking of offering on a house I viewed over the weekend but am slightly concerned as it has an extension which I understand the seller did not get planning permission for. Should I be concerned over this?
A. If planning permission is needed and not obtained it is possible for the local planning authority to take enforcement action, which may include any property built without permission to be demolished. Two things to keep in mind however, are the limits on enforcement action being taken. If work is done without permission, no enforcement action can be taken after, four years for building operations or ten years for change of use. The shorter period for buildings operations is because these are visible operations. The longer period for change of use is because this could be done without any change to the external appearance of the property. Check with the seller when the extension was built as the ‘four year rule’ could apply. In which case no enforcement action can be taken as said. That being the case I would advise a full structural survey to be carried out in order to obtain a specialists report on any possible negative effects the extension may have had on the property.