Open loft space along the row - Grade 2 listed end terraced house

[Lulubellamozarella]

Hi,

Just wondered if anyone had any experience of this. We own an end terraced grade 2 listed house on a row of similar houses built back in 1870. The house is currently on the market. The loft space is boarded and useable but is open along the whole row of houses. There are 7 of us in the row and the roof space is open all the way down from our end to the other end. It has never bothered us and wasn't a problem since we have been here and never came up when we got a mortgage/survey when we purchased the house 12 years ago. We have now been told by a friend that we need to seal it off or a prospective buyer won't be able to get a mortgage on our property if its still open. I think it may now be classed as a fire hazard and now I think of it, it actually is!! I guess its not something I have ever given much thought to, more fool me.

Does anyone have any experience of this type of thing? Neighbours of ours further down the row sold in 2022 and did not seal the loft, it is all still open roof space down the row, so I am unsure whether or not this is right and is now a requirement.

I suggested to DH that we just do it anyway as I don't want it being picked up on a survey or mortgage valuation and we end up having to do it, which will then delay the sale and possibly piss off potential buyers if they have to wait for us to do this. He thinks we don't need to do it and says we should wait which to me sounds daft! Why risk it?

Would you just go ahead and seal it up anyway to be on the safe side?

Seal it up!! Squatters op!!

It isn't uncommon among those properties but is really weird seeming. Like I guess there was a reason, primarily financial.
We've got an open gutter running directly through the loft from front to back in our Georgian house. People who go up there are flabbergasted! The flooding if it's blocked is horrendous.
So at least you don't have that, haha!

Our terraced house isn't listed, but when we bought it over 30 years ago the loft was open on one side pretty much all the way down the row, so over 10 houses

The building society put a retention on part of the mortgage until we had it sealed off.

It's not just a matter of security - burglars, squatters - but of fire spread.

We bought a mid terrace that was like this 20 odd years ago. We had walls built, but it wasn't a 'requirement' - we did it because I didn't like the idea of someone going into another house in the row, then through their loft hatch, then popping down into ours! I also use our loft space for storage, so all round, it was better. It cost £900 as I recall, but this was over 20 years ago.

It's very common in old terraces; you just don't realise until you come across it.

I lived in such a house growing up. My parents sealed it. Alcoholic neighbour did her drinking in the shared attic 😱

Personally, I would not buy such a house unless I knew I could seal it with no issue.

Victorian terrace and part of ours is open on one side too. Not really enough to get through, maybe a few rows of bricks short. Looks an awkward space so they probably left it when it was built.

It came up in the survey but it didn't stop the mortgage or anything.

Some mortgage companies and insurance companies say you need a fire break. Get some quotes for how much it will cost and either get the work done, or you have a quote go show a potential purchaser how much it would cost.

I wouldn't buy it as I would be scared about burglers and fires.

Goodness so anyone in those houses could access your house through it? Or steal stuff from your loft. I’d block it any way!

We bought our (not listed) 1860s mid terrace 4 years ago and until we converted the loft, we had access to next door but not completely open. We had no issue with the mortgage. In fact, how would they know?

Thanks for your replies. It has honestly never been an issue or worry for us. We are lucky in that all our neighbours down the whole row are close friends and we trust that no-one will abuse the space. Its never been something we have thought of until my friend mentioned it. I have never felt unsafe or anything. But now It has made me think what a fire hazard it is. If any of the row has a fire then we are all at risk if its open like that. I think I will get some quotes to get it sealed up. Its not a massive gap and its like a large hole in the wall about the size of two doors. rather than a whole wall or anything. I don't think it would be too much work or expense to just get it sealed up.

It did come handy last Christmas when our friend and neighbour locked himself out the house so came round ours, went into our loft, and then dropped back down into his own house!! 😂

We have this OP in our short terrace of 4 1930s houses.
We haven't blocked it up yet but plan to do so soon, as we'll potentially convert the loft.
We bought in 2019 and neither mortgage co (Natwest) nor surveyor mentioned it at all so I don't think it's a given that you have to block it to sell.

I always wanted to live in a house with this set up after reading The Magician’s Nephew.

(Sorry, no actual help, but I definitely seen recent threads about mortgage companies refusing to lend on this set up).

Yes. I had to seal it (not listed though) when I sold it. Not a big issue really and it wasn't usable - I would have sealed it when I bought it if it was usable space!

If you do decide to go ahead with sealing it up I would suggest you discuss this with your local planning department. It's likely you will need listed building consent for the works.

The building regs department might be able to answer whether you need to do the work for fire safety purposes which would support your listed building application.

Came here to write this too :)

I always think of The Magician's Nephew as well!

#nohelp