Selling my house- first time

[MrsM787]

Hi- so we have decided to sell our 3 bed semi in order to purchase a bigger home for our expanding family.

Last year I converted my garage into a studio with an en-suite. Just created some additional space. We got building control but they only visited once whilst the work was ongoing and haven't had any further visits or any paperwork to evidence building control was applied for.

New to this selling business - wanted to ask if I can sell as a 4 bed or a 3 bed with an additional annex? The annex is at the bottom of my garden so not attached to my home

Buyers won’t view it as a 4 bed but rather as a 3 bed with a garage converted to a studio with en-suite.

Your EA will help you with the marketing but however they decide to describe it, the house is still essentially a 3 bed but with extra space that some people would find useful. Especially as the annex isn’t attached to the house.

Agree with @Twiglets1

Call building control now before you get into conveyancing and get the certification sorted.

Was planning for the garage conversion for storage/office type use, if so I don't think you cam call it an annex or a bedroom there are extra requirements and permissions for living accommodation. If the planning was for a studio as in a studio flat, somewhere someone is allowed to live then it could be an annex. You will need the signed off drawings for planning and building regs.

Edit: But a separate office/work space/garden room would be a selling point.

If you’ve created a habitable space (which you have) then you need planning and sign off. Why was this not done would be first question? Did you do work yourselves or have someone professionally to do it? It will come up in conveyancing for your onwards purchaser so definitely take advice from estate agent as to how to market. You can apply for retrospective certification but building control may want to pull things apart a bit to check everything up to code. Other question is how long ago did you do project as you might be beyond enforceable notice (4 years at present but think it’s rising to 10).