Extension - Utility or Bedroom

[ConveyancingHelll]

We've just had a survey done on a 3-bed property we're in the process of buying. It flagged that there may be an issue with the third bedroom window, as it may not meet the requirements for fire escape routes (the bedroom is directly off the kitchen).

This prompted some digging, which shows that when planning was sought for the extension, the drawings had a utility room, a shower room and an extended kitchen. But now, it is a (very small) bedroom, shower room and extended kitchen.

The sellers have provided a building completion certificate, so it passed building regs. It was build four years ago, and the overall size of the extension was in line with PP, so I'm not worried about enforcement action by the council.

What I am worried about is when it comes to selling, will we be able to describe this as a third bedroom? The room is smaller than the national space standards for a bedroom, but I think these are non-binding? But if building regs approval was granted on the basis of it being a non-inhabitable room rather than a bedroom, would this change things?

And if that is the case, what should we be looking for to check that building regs were granted in line with the requirements for a bedroom rather than a utility room?

I had the same issue in the property I bought. It was selling as 3-bed but really was 2 bed with an office as the 3rd bedroom had no windows or alternative fire scape route. It can’t be marked as a bedroom but nothing stops you from using the house as you want. When re-selling, you shouldn’t really expect to market the property as it has this extra bedroom. Buyers could demand a discount.
In my case, I paid a hybrid price between a 2 and a 3-bed and now I’m redoing the layout so it’s actually a 3-bed even though some people will find the layout unusual. I recon it would be hard for me to resell my property. But since this is (hopefully) my forever home, I hope I don’t have to be that position.

As pp says if you call it an office then it’s a flexible space

Building safety regs and fire regs for a bedroom (habitable space) is completely different to a bathroom/kitchen/utility (non-habitable spaces).

Seems very dodgy to specifically apply for the 3 things with less regs then switch it out to a habitable room, its likely not fire complaint at all.