Page 5 | House listed as 4 bed is actually 3 bed

Nextdoor55 · 13/04/2025 19:55

RanchRat · 12/04/2025 14:35

Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply. I am going to offer as for a three bed property.

They could either get retrospective building regs or a certificate of lawful development. But the council will have to be satisfied that the works are good & meeting building regulations. They probably wouldn't get it.
Or you could get indemnity insurance in case building regs turn up & say that it's not sound as a room.
But you can't do both because once the council know it invalidates the insurance.

angela1952 · 13/04/2025 19:56

Doris86 · 12/04/2025 13:24

Three options:

Pull out
Offer them £50k less as it’s legally only a 3 bed
Ask them to get retrospective building regs sign off, including all work necessary to achieve that, and then your offer still stands.

This is what you need to do, we once pulled out of a purchase when we found that a large bedroom had been cut in half without permission as they were not willing to sort out the paperwork. The attic is really just a store room if it doesn't have permission, does it have a proper staircase?

Mirabai · 13/04/2025 19:56

RanchRat · 12/04/2025 20:21

Thank you all for your comments. We are an elderly retired couple and not actually needing a fourth bedroom. We also don't need a mortgage. However, we would hesitate to devalue the home that we hope to leave to our children. The next door house has just been sold so we can't buy that. We are thinking of offering £25,000 less than the asking price to reflect the loss of the 4th bedroom and also the unusability of the 'garden office'. This feels like a fair offer but the Vendor has also had to buy somewhere, following a split from her husband, and there may just not be enough in the pot for them to take a reduction. I don't think this situation is the Vendor's fault. She was honest with the Surveyor about the lack of Regs. I suspect the Estate Agent encouraged her to think she could advertise it as a 4 bed property, but I am afraid they are setting her up to fail. Does £25,000 reduction seem reasonable? I don't want to rip the poor woman off, but at the same time, in these very difficult days, we all want to try to do the best for our children.

Well obviously you would offer 50k less - same price as the house next door with same number of bedrooms.

You’re not running a charity service.

angela1952 · 13/04/2025 19:57

RanchRat · 12/04/2025 20:21

Thank you all for your comments. We are an elderly retired couple and not actually needing a fourth bedroom. We also don't need a mortgage. However, we would hesitate to devalue the home that we hope to leave to our children. The next door house has just been sold so we can't buy that. We are thinking of offering £25,000 less than the asking price to reflect the loss of the 4th bedroom and also the unusability of the 'garden office'. This feels like a fair offer but the Vendor has also had to buy somewhere, following a split from her husband, and there may just not be enough in the pot for them to take a reduction. I don't think this situation is the Vendor's fault. She was honest with the Surveyor about the lack of Regs. I suspect the Estate Agent encouraged her to think she could advertise it as a 4 bed property, but I am afraid they are setting her up to fail. Does £25,000 reduction seem reasonable? I don't want to rip the poor woman off, but at the same time, in these very difficult days, we all want to try to do the best for our children.

If the next door three bed house went for £50k less than this is what the house is really worth.

TizerorFizz · 13/04/2025 20:08

You don’t normally need “paperwork” for putting up a stud wall to divide a room into two. We have actually taken down a wall to open up two bedrooms into one. Stud wall so no issue and DH is a structural engineer. If walls are load bearing, that’s different.

Spooky2000 · 13/04/2025 20:18

RanchRat · 12/04/2025 13:18

Have had our offer accepted on a 4 bed house. The survey came back yesterday with the info that there are no building regs for the 4th (attic) bedroom and it is not proertly insulated.
AIBU to balk at paying the 4 bed premum for a 3 bed property. The house next door (other half of the semi) and is a 3 bed is on the market for £50,000 less. I like the house but don't want to be out of pocket. WWYD.

It's the estate agents who have marketed it as a 4 bed at the end of the day and I would be keen to point this out and that they've overvalued it. I'd also point the vendors in the direction of the relevant ombudsman for complaint. 😁I'd offer a lot less, maybe £45K less - bit more than the other house, enough to compensate and follow through. Perhaps they didn't realise that it's not a 4 bed at the time? Or knew and allowed the EA to market it as such in the hope of getting more dough? That would give me more cause for alarm!

PeachyPeachTrees · 13/04/2025 21:30

It's a 3 bed with nicer loft. No way I'd pay like a real 4 bed. If you only require a 3 bed, I'd buy one of those. With the money saved, treat the family while you're still alive. A 3 bed is still a great house to pass down.

godmum56 · 13/04/2025 21:31

RanchRat · 12/04/2025 20:21

Thank you all for your comments. We are an elderly retired couple and not actually needing a fourth bedroom. We also don't need a mortgage. However, we would hesitate to devalue the home that we hope to leave to our children. The next door house has just been sold so we can't buy that. We are thinking of offering £25,000 less than the asking price to reflect the loss of the 4th bedroom and also the unusability of the 'garden office'. This feels like a fair offer but the Vendor has also had to buy somewhere, following a split from her husband, and there may just not be enough in the pot for them to take a reduction. I don't think this situation is the Vendor's fault. She was honest with the Surveyor about the lack of Regs. I suspect the Estate Agent encouraged her to think she could advertise it as a 4 bed property, but I am afraid they are setting her up to fail. Does £25,000 reduction seem reasonable? I don't want to rip the poor woman off, but at the same time, in these very difficult days, we all want to try to do the best for our children.

but no one with any sense is going to offer a 4 bed price for a three bed regardless of what the seller needs.

GreatFish · 13/04/2025 21:36

Was it marketed as a 4 bedroom or 3 bedroom with boarded attic room useable as a bedroom?

TizerorFizz · 13/04/2025 22:55

@GreatFish The title says it all. Listed as 4 bed. It’s not a 4 bed. It’s a loft that’s usable for storage but it’s not the standard required for a bedroom. Fire doors and size of staircase matter.

StMarie4me · 13/04/2025 23:03

Lassango · 12/04/2025 14:53

A mortgage can still be got on this property depending on how much deposit is being put down.

Show quote history

But still only as a three bed not a four. Happened to a family member.

GreatFish · 14/04/2025 10:37

Yep your correct but a lot of people use this space with or without staircase,fire doors etc .The estate agent should not have marketed the property as 4 bedrooms.My daughter converted her loft space with staircase,fire doors,electrics etc without the planning and knew it would still only sell as a 2 bedroom with loft storage.

Mantissatopower4 · 14/04/2025 14:09

The estate agent has misrepresented the property. It should be described as a 3 bedroomed house with a bonus room in the loft, or something like that. You could report the agent to the estate agents ombudsman. The agent is being very unprofessional.

If you are still interested make a lower offer and mention the misrepresentation, or you could use the phrase “subject to confirmation of building regulation approval for the bonus room to be used as a bedroom.”

the sellers will be somewhat upset with the agent!

TizerorFizz · 14/04/2025 14:17

@GreatFish Quite often you don’t need planning permission. What is needed is building regs approval and demonstrably meeting the safety regulations for the conversion to be used as a bedroom.

Mantissatopower4 · 14/04/2025 14:26

And the likelihood of the building regulations being enforced is very very close to zero. That’s why indemnity can be provided on insurance policy..

TizerorFizz · 14/04/2025 15:41

@Mantissatopower4 That is a waste of time if you want to sleep safely in a bedroom! The vendor should either say it’s a loft or provide BR sign off. Insurance makes nothing safe. Buyers should understand what status the loft space has and agree a price accordingly.

Flibberteegibbet · 14/04/2025 16:23

RanchRat · 12/04/2025 13:18

Have had our offer accepted on a 4 bed house. The survey came back yesterday with the info that there are no building regs for the 4th (attic) bedroom and it is not proertly insulated.
AIBU to balk at paying the 4 bed premum for a 3 bed property. The house next door (other half of the semi) and is a 3 bed is on the market for £50,000 less. I like the house but don't want to be out of pocket. WWYD.

I'd pull out and offer on the one next door if it's still available then spend the money converting the loft to your own design. If that's not possible, put in a much lower offer due to it only being a three bed.

TizerorFizz · 14/04/2025 17:10

@Flibberteegibbet Next door is sold.

Ellie56 · 14/04/2025 19:12

RanchRat · 12/04/2025 20:21

Thank you all for your comments. We are an elderly retired couple and not actually needing a fourth bedroom. We also don't need a mortgage. However, we would hesitate to devalue the home that we hope to leave to our children. The next door house has just been sold so we can't buy that. We are thinking of offering £25,000 less than the asking price to reflect the loss of the 4th bedroom and also the unusability of the 'garden office'. This feels like a fair offer but the Vendor has also had to buy somewhere, following a split from her husband, and there may just not be enough in the pot for them to take a reduction. I don't think this situation is the Vendor's fault. She was honest with the Surveyor about the lack of Regs. I suspect the Estate Agent encouraged her to think she could advertise it as a 4 bed property, but I am afraid they are setting her up to fail. Does £25,000 reduction seem reasonable? I don't want to rip the poor woman off, but at the same time, in these very difficult days, we all want to try to do the best for our children.

Nope. I still wouldn't touch it as it is. Why potentially leave your children with a load of hassle years down the line?

I would show your children this thread and see what they have to say.

Doris86 · 14/04/2025 19:22

TizerorFizz · 14/04/2025 15:41

@Mantissatopower4 That is a waste of time if you want to sleep safely in a bedroom! The vendor should either say it’s a loft or provide BR sign off. Insurance makes nothing safe. Buyers should understand what status the loft space has and agree a price accordingly.

Absolutely. There are always some people on these threads who mention indemnity policies as a solution.

However an indemnity policy only covers you against the cost of enforcement action by the council for lack of BR. It doesn’t indemnify you against any work not being done properly, or any fall in value of the property as as a result of that.

80smonster · 17/04/2025 13:00

RanchRat · 12/04/2025 20:21

Thank you all for your comments. We are an elderly retired couple and not actually needing a fourth bedroom. We also don't need a mortgage. However, we would hesitate to devalue the home that we hope to leave to our children. The next door house has just been sold so we can't buy that. We are thinking of offering £25,000 less than the asking price to reflect the loss of the 4th bedroom and also the unusability of the 'garden office'. This feels like a fair offer but the Vendor has also had to buy somewhere, following a split from her husband, and there may just not be enough in the pot for them to take a reduction. I don't think this situation is the Vendor's fault. She was honest with the Surveyor about the lack of Regs. I suspect the Estate Agent encouraged her to think she could advertise it as a 4 bed property, but I am afraid they are setting her up to fail. Does £25,000 reduction seem reasonable? I don't want to rip the poor woman off, but at the same time, in these very difficult days, we all want to try to do the best for our children.

How did this play out OP?

AllTheChaos · 11/10/2025 13:00

RanchRat · 12/04/2025 20:21

Thank you all for your comments. We are an elderly retired couple and not actually needing a fourth bedroom. We also don't need a mortgage. However, we would hesitate to devalue the home that we hope to leave to our children. The next door house has just been sold so we can't buy that. We are thinking of offering £25,000 less than the asking price to reflect the loss of the 4th bedroom and also the unusability of the 'garden office'. This feels like a fair offer but the Vendor has also had to buy somewhere, following a split from her husband, and there may just not be enough in the pot for them to take a reduction. I don't think this situation is the Vendor's fault. She was honest with the Surveyor about the lack of Regs. I suspect the Estate Agent encouraged her to think she could advertise it as a 4 bed property, but I am afraid they are setting her up to fail. Does £25,000 reduction seem reasonable? I don't want to rip the poor woman off, but at the same time, in these very difficult days, we all want to try to do the best for our children.

I know this was several months ago, but just wondered what happened Op as a friend is currently in a similar position!

Annony331 · 11/10/2025 17:26

Depends on the age of the house.

Previous Victorian house had an attic bedroom that did not need regs as it was built before the need.

our extension was also purchased before building regs applied.

neither needed retrospective regs.