Exterior paint colour - permission??

[3in4years]

Hi,
We are selling our house and the buyers have asked for a policy of indemnity insurance to cover them for the house being blue without permission.
Can anyone tell me if it's possible to get permission afterwards? I don't want to draw attention to it if we might then get in trouble... but it's a very pale colour on an ex council house in a cul de sac so I doubt it'd ever be a problem.
Any advice appreciated. Thanks

Is it in a conservation area or a listed building, or is it in the deeds that you need permission? You can paint your house any colour you please if not.
If you try and get permission after the fact the insurance won’t be valid so best to leave it.

Thank you. No it's not in a conservation area or a listed building. Can I just say no to the policy of indemnity insurance then?

And what do the deeds and covenants say, they are equally important?

Do you know who they think you needed permission from, presumably they’re acting on advice? What does your solicitor advise?

Indemnity insurance isn’t that expensive, and if you plan to take it out don’t try and get permission first. That route could get long winded and delay the sale.

Permission from who exactly?

The council I believe.

You don't need permission! Tell them
Where to go!

Thanks all. Any ideas where I can prove we don't need permission? Or should my solicitor be proving this?

The planning portal might have info, but I'd bat it back to them and ask them to prove why on on they think it's needed.

They asked this: Was the consent of the Council obtained as required by clause 9 of the Fourth Schedule of the Conveyance dated 17th December 1979?

Sounds like it might be in the original deeds that it couldn't be done (my house has a similar one about no fences or hedges around the front gardens). In which case i think you would need the indemnity but I am not an expert

Thanks

If it's a deeds issue that's a separate matter. Your solicitor should be advising.

I’m in an ex council house and it says in my deeds that I need to get permission to paint the front of the house.

As I understand it you write to the council and they write back saying it’s fine.

Thanks Sausage. Only we didn't ask permission, it didn't occur to us.

Well I have also wondered who would ever know.
My house is one of about 8 council houses on a 1940s estate. Most, but not all were bought from the council in the 80s.
It’s not like is a council estate. I can’t imagine anyone would check and it’s not obvious that my house is ex council as it’s a regular 3 bed semi.

I would pay for an indemnity policy if you are selling rather than risk it. We had to get indemnity policies for a few things when we sold earlier this year, they were cheap enough and the MN advice was NOT to draw it to anyone's attention asking for permission because then you can't get an indemnity policy.