Temp

Hopefully sorted by now :-)

What confused me is you said all conditions had been met. So is it the formal discharge of the conditions you are waiting for?

The wire is quite reasonably priced so I would put your own wire in the duct while you are at it. Leave enough coiled up at the bottom of the pole to reach the top and a few meters spare. Leave the draw rope in the duct as well just in case some prat pinches it.

Any chance of a photo? I don't understand how a door can be 30 degrees out. If you have any spare tiles I'd just bash them out and replace.

Once a neighbour complains the planners often feel obliged to follow the rules. They appear to have done that without going OTT and initiating enforcement action. Now that she has gone public they might feel obliged to insist on a planning application.

Aren't these the forms you need to send in?... The CIL exemption form is here (must be granted before you start). https://ecab.planningportal.co.uk/uploads/1app/forms/form_7_self_build_part_1_exemption_claim.pdf The commencement form is here (must be received by the Collecting Authority before you start). https://ecab.planningportal.co.uk/uploads/1app/forms/form_6_commencement_notice.pdf Make 100% sure you follow the rules or you become liable for the CIL. Do not start before the exemption is granted and they have received the commencement form (post with tracking). Note that the commencement form asks for a commencement date. Make sure that's after the decision date they give you.

Some but not all insurance companies treat timber framed houses as "non-standard construction". With some it depends on the outer leaf. If that's brick they consider it standard, if it's also timber they consider it non-standard. I don't think there is much difference between a brick-brick and timber-brick house but personally I would be nervous of fire spread if I was living in a timber framed apartment/flat/hmo. They are meant to have appropriate fire barriers but the standard of construction used on some buildings leaves a lot to be desired (see recent stories about missing wall ties in Scottish schools for example). There have been a few timber framed apartment blocks that have gone up rapidly during construction (perhaps before plaster boarding when they are more vunerable).... http://www.building.co.uk/‘a-lot-of-the-guys-won’t-work-on-timber-frame-again’/3078198.article

Some years their fireworks are good value. They aren't always very powerful but cheap enough that you can strap two together and let both off at once :-)

In order to reclaim VAT on materials using the Self Build VAT Reclaim scheme VAT invoices must be in your name. A business cannot use the Self Build VAT Reclaim scheme. If you happen to have a business that has the same name as you then that might work out. However I would avoid paying for materials using a bank account linked to the business. If HMRC were to check up they might argue the business purchased the materials and then gave them to you. That would scupper the VAT reclaim and could give rise to other taxes (Dividend tax?).

The test report here has data on the dissolved oxygen levels.... http://www.tadpoleenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Tralee-IT-Test-On-An-Open-Vent-Oil-Fired-Boiler-System-15th-June-2010.pdf If I've understood correctly it appears they flushed and refilled the system with fresh water before each test and measured initial DO levels of around 7.7 PPM. In the baseline system that reduced to 1.2PPM over 19 hours. With the Tadpole installed it reduced to 0.2 PPM in the same time frame. PPM = Parts per million. 1PPM = 0.0001%

There shouldn't really be any oxygen in a sealed heating system. There used to be a problem of oxygen continuously getting into plastic pipe UFH systems but that's largely solved by using pipes containing an oxygen barrier and pressurising the system (eg unvented). When you first fill it with fresh water there might be some dissolved oxygen in the water that might cause corrosion but corrosion inhibitors like Fernox are "oxygen scavenging". Other gasses may form in the system but I believe they are usually the result of corrosion and should be prevented by dosing the system with corrosion inhibitor rather than just letting it out as that doesn't stop the corrosion from occurring. Just for info, the test report down the bottom of here.. http://www.tadpoleenergy.com/test-results/ ..refers to tests conducted on an "open Vent Gravity Fed" system.

All the architects we spoke to quoted their fee as a percentage of the finished build cost. This meant that any cost over run or a decision to splash out on a more expensive kitchen cost you more in architects fees as well.

This says it doesn't apply to carpets..... https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.essex-fire.gov.uk/_img/pics/pdf_1373545479.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwiYip7L8uLPAhXJJcAKHb_wBCgQFgg5MAI&usg=AFQjCNEWWQ9iGE3_tpYgmou90MBtZPgqtw&sig2=uGr1EgfqaxiG3yztz_nhlQ The main problem was that most people remove the fire rating tags so second hand furniture doesn't usually have them - meaning had to buy new when the regs changed. I'm sure there are websites with all the landlord regs. The last big change was the introduction of the Deposit Protection Scheme.

So the Planning department must consider them to be residential use still/already? That's good news. Ditto no BC Approval is also good news. Although some changes to the wiring may require the Electrician to issue a certificate which gets copied to BC. Usual landlord liability stuff will apply.. Gas Safety certificates, furniture should have fire proof labels, all that boring stuff.

Looks like most of the rise is down to the oil price increasing. UK Oil up about 13%. Pound down about 5%.

Just a heads up that Heating Oil seems to be on the rise. Up 23% over the past 17 days. Mostly due to the falling £ I guess. Graph care of Boiler Juice...

I think the VAT problem I was referring to above only applies if a VAT registered business lets out the flats but you need to check this issue further or you could end up liable for VAT on the rental income... http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/vat/leaflets/property-guide/letting-property-new-system.html#s4 4. How does a landlord opt to tax a new letting? (Section 97(1)(b) and (c)) A landlord who claims a deduction for input tax incurred on the acquisition or development of a property, which is to be used for letting, is treated as having exercised the landlord's option to tax the letting of that property.

Other issues I can think of.. Might be worth thinking about the tax position. eg If the business/shop owns the flats then is it better for the business to divest itself of the flats (perhaps sell them the business owner personally) before or after conversion/refurbishment when the value is higher? Don't let anyone move in before the refurbishment starts or you loose the ability to reclaim the VAT (no longer empty for 10 years before work starts). However they can move in a few days after refurbishment starts as that's allowed! I recall there is an issue with VAT if a property is rented out immediately. I'll try and find out more.

I think the first step is to ask the planners what they think the current "use class" is for the bits you want to refurb/convert. If they say they think the flats are still part of the shop/retail A1 or storage then I think you can change them to residential under PDR and reclaim the VAT using the self build VAT reclaim scheme for conversions. If they think they are already residential use class then no need to involve planning and you have to prove they have been empty for 2 or 10 years to get partial/full VAT relief. I think it will only be zero rated if a VAT registered builder does the refurbishment. There is no DIY reclaim scheme for empty houses.

Might also be relevant although note the VAT implication I mentioned above if arguing it's already mixed use. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/596/schedule/2/part/3/crossheading/class-m-retail-or-betting-office-or-pay-day-loan-shop-to-dwellinghouses/made

https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/9/change_of_use/2

Actually the law changed last year (?) so that converting a shop to residential is now Permitted Development... http://www.homesandproperty.co.uk/property-news/buying/planning-advice-can-we-convert-an-empty-shop-into-our-first-home-a100661.html So it might be easier just to apply for a certificate of Lawfulness on the grounds that the conversion would be Permitted Development. The bonus if this approach is that it's now a conversion so you can reclaim the VAT. If you go the other route you face a contradiction... To prove change of use you have to prove they were used as flats for 10 years and that may make them ineligible for the VAT reclaim scheme (not empty long enough).

In the case of an unlawful "change of use" it's 10 years not 4 that they have to initiate enforcement action. eg You would have to provide evidence that the change of use to residential occurred > 10 years ago. Something like paying council tax on the flats for that period might be enough but collect every scrap of evidence you can find.

I'd wait for the planners to raise the issue rather then raising it yourself.

How about some sort of film that can be removed of changed later? You can get some that makes it look like the glass has been etched, perhaps with something like a band with a tree/vine pattern that adds a level of obscurity just at head height with clear glass above and below. Used a lot on office partitions. Another option might be an internal screen/blind installed a few inches inboard from the window. Lets the light in which heats the screen. When they know you better it can be disappeared? It's possible you may need some sort of blind or screen anyway if you get too much solar gain in summer. Likewise curtains in winter to cut down heat loss or provide you with extra privacy at night when you are backlit?