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Original poster

Survey on Bungalow - Dormer with no planning permission due to age it was built

100 replies

Needtorelax1 · 03/10/2025 19:47

Hi everyone,
looking for some opinions and advice! In the process of buying a beautiful 3 bed bungalow…built in 1950. Two bedrooms originally and the owners had a dormer made upstairs in April 1973. All plans can be seen etc.
however, due to the age of the dormer and when it was built there isn’t any planning permission or building regs as they simply weren’t available at the time!y solicitor seems to think this is absolutely fine but I’m so nervous that the survey will say something awful with regards to the dormer! Has anyone bought a property with an extension that was built back before planning permission was a thing? I so desperately want the property and I am just on pins as to what the survey will say!!

OP posts:
Florally · 03/10/2025 19:48

We had similar and our solicitor asked the other side to take out indemnity insurance.

Original poster
Needtorelax1 · 03/10/2025 19:49

This is what I wondered too! Has it caused you any issues at all?

OP posts:
anon2022anon · 03/10/2025 19:49

The survey will probably find something, as they all do, but my father in law is a builder, and his motto is if it's been standing fine for 50 years, it's not worth worrying over.
If anything was wrong with the extension, it would have shown itself by now.

Original poster
Needtorelax1 · 03/10/2025 19:50

Exactly This! Would you think it would be an issue if I wanted to sell down the line?

OP posts:
BlouseyBrowne · 03/10/2025 19:50

The building act only came into effect in 1985 and I don’t know what your concern would be regarding planning permission.

A decent survey will highlight any issues. A dormer of this age is unlikely to have any insulation, so the surveyor should be looking for signs of damp and mould. Other than that I wouldn’t have any concerns.

Original poster
Needtorelax1 · 03/10/2025 19:51

BlouseyBrowne · 03/10/2025 19:50

The building act only came into effect in 1985 and I don’t know what your concern would be regarding planning permission.

A decent survey will highlight any issues. A dormer of this age is unlikely to have any insulation, so the surveyor should be looking for signs of damp and mould. Other than that I wouldn’t have any concerns.

Thankyou for this. From what we can see…there is no damp or mould at all so all looks fairly well built!

OP posts:
BlouseyBrowne · 03/10/2025 19:52

And by the way, indemnity insurance is a complete and utter waste of money. What are you indemnifying yourselves against? Building control won’t take action because as I said up thread, the building act didn’t come into force until 1985, and planning permission is not an issue. There is absolutely no chance of any enforcement action by the council.

Original poster
Needtorelax1 · 03/10/2025 19:54

Thankyou for this. It’s much appreciated xx

OP posts:
Seeline · 03/10/2025 21:41

Planning permission was definitely a thing in 1973. However, a dormer might have been built as permitted development not requiring PP. In those days it would have depended partly on how big it was, as well as whether there had been any previous extensions.

As it was built over 10 years ago it would be exempt from any enforcement action by the Council under the planning legislation.

Doris86 · 04/10/2025 07:53

As stated by others, it was done so long ago that lack of planning or building control isn’t an issue. Either it wasn’t required at the time, or lack of it isn’t enforceable now.

All that matters is that the work was done properly. Your survey will confirm this. There’s no reason to think it won’t have been, just because you don’t have the paperwork that would be required if it was done today.

Your solicitor has told you everything is absolutely fine, and they are correct so stop worrying.

akkakk · 04/10/2025 07:56

Just for interest I have the planning permission document for our garage in 1933…

so planning permission has been around a while… but as all the others say… as long as it is built well…

YelloDaisy · 04/10/2025 08:12

Do the other bungalows have dormers or is it the only bungalow in the area. If all the bungalows have dormers it is fitting in. If there are no other bungalows it can do what it wants -I would guess.

slightlyunimpressed · 04/10/2025 08:14

YelloDaisy · 04/10/2025 08:12

Do the other bungalows have dormers or is it the only bungalow in the area. If all the bungalows have dormers it is fitting in. If there are no other bungalows it can do what it wants -I would guess.

That doesn’t matter - if it was built 50 years ago there is no council enforcement possible for either building regs or planning so the only question is whether the survey throws anything up.

Original poster
Needtorelax1 · 04/10/2025 08:20

Thankyou everyone…I’m buying on my own after a divorce so it’s all a bit scary and overwhelming so thankyou xx

OP posts:
DrySherry · 04/10/2025 09:04

Needtorelax1 · 03/10/2025 19:50

Exactly This! Would you think it would be an issue if I wanted to sell down the line?

Yes for some buyers, but not for the majority. As a previous poster said - its been fine for decades

user1471538283 · 04/10/2025 10:33

I understand how nervous you are OP. I would get it in writing from your solicitor that it's fine without planning permission.

My bf's DGF's house had a bathroom put on the back as many did. It wasn't until he came to sell he found out that the bathroom didn't have foundations. Obviously it was built a long time ago. He knocked some money off the price. But the foundation less bathroom had stood for decades.

I'm sure if will be ok. Regulations change all the time.

Original poster
Needtorelax1 · 04/10/2025 17:22

So the report has come back today…and it sounds really damning..I now feel sick with worry….as I thought the upstairs room has been highlighted….this is some of what has been said..does anyone think it’s a no go or is this purely a result of the age of the conversion 😥 I think I just want to cry xx

Survey on Bungalow - Dormer with no planning permission due to age it was built
OP posts:
Original poster
Needtorelax1 · 04/10/2025 17:30

I am having a full rewire and removal of water tanks for a combi boiler…it’s just the comments about the bedroom 😔

OP posts:
bilbodog · 04/10/2025 17:51

Have you actually spoken to the surveyor? They are usually very happy to go through the report with you. Just because they have pointed things out doesnt necessarily mean there is a huge problem right now but something to be aware of for the future.

we bought an edwardian house in 1994 which mentioned that it still had the original 1911 roof which would need replacing at some point. Apart from some roof repairs we sold it in 2011 still with the original roof with no problems at all.

BlouseyBrowne · 04/10/2025 17:54

What exactly are you concerned about?

Seeline · 04/10/2025 17:56

Is this saying the bedroom in the roof can only be accessed via the loft hatch?!

MeganM3 · 04/10/2025 17:58

It wouldn’t worry me. But I’d go through with the sale being aware that I would likely need to make updates to the dorma at some point. It’s been up a long time and the insulation etc back then probably wasn’t as good as it is now. We had a 90s loft conversion, which needed re insulating and some roofing done in 2020. It had been up for over 25 years and the costs weren’t enormous by any means.

Original poster
Needtorelax1 · 04/10/2025 18:00

So this is the door to the loft in the upstairs bedroom…yes it’s small but bigger than a loft hatch in a ceiling of any other house!
@BlouseyBrowneim just worried about selling it on later down the line or that it isn’t safe to be in (my 13 year old daughter will be in this room)
You can probably tell i am a very anxious person at the moment so apologies for the panic…please go easy on me I just have no idea about any of this! X

Survey on Bungalow - Dormer with no planning permission due to age it was built
OP posts:
WhistPie · 04/10/2025 18:00

Surely you noticed if the loft conversion could only be accessed by a loft hatch when you viewed the property - it shouldn't come as a surprise!

Buy a new build, not this - I don't think you're able to cope with a surveyor's report.

Original poster
Needtorelax1 · 04/10/2025 18:03

No there are stairs going up to the bedroom!!! The access to the loft is via a loft hatch!

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