The planning status of a property is important for at least two reasons:

  1. If the property is not planning compliant a bank, depending on the extent of non-compliance, may not be prepared to lend on the security of it.  As the vast majority of buyers are loan dependent this could have the effect of drastically reducing the market for the property.
  2. The local authority or a concerned citizen could bring enforcement action.

Is there a Seven Year Rule?

If there is an unauthorised development the local authority usually has seven years from the date the work is completed to bring enforcement proceedings.

It does not end there.  While the local authority may be out of time to bring enforcement proceedings after seven years, an unauthorised development remains unauthorised and may still have implications for you or the purchaser.  Please contact us to discuss this in more detail for your situation.