Advice needed - SCOTLAND REGS

[JamesFlannery]

Good afternoon,

 

Ok, if any of you guys could provide any advice, I'd be more than grateful! Seems the last few hours spend on google have provided different result.

 

Essentially, I am a Joiner to trade and live (or did) in a cottage(not listed) which only has one entrance/exit. In bonny Scotland. Our bedroom to the rear of the house had two windows within. I did have issues with one of the windows, leeking etc and decided to replace it with a singular patio door. I also formed the opinion that it would be safer to have another exit point in the event of a fire, as climbing through the excisting windows could prove fatal.

 

So, here is where I think I have went wrong. I didnt inform my local council. Stupidly, I read on google that I didn't need permission. The job has now been complete for a year now and it is perfect. However, I happen to stumble accross an article that suggested I needed the permission and that it could cause me issues selling the house in future. This is where I hope you can advise, please?

 

I will descibe breifly what I did during the installation of this door. Firstly, I opened the inside of the window up, removing plasterboard etc to reveal the stone work. I then observed a heavy stone lintel which would span the exterior side and 3 concrete lintels which I assume have replaced the wooden ones before we bough the place.

 

Content with the lintels, I measured the door. 3 weeks later, I took the window out and began to take the stone from below it. From experience, it looked at this point that there had already been a door opening there, certainly by how neet the coins presented etc on the exterior (exterior was dashed).

 

Anyway, the rest all went in ok, dpc, etc. I also moved a couple of the air bricks for the sub-floor. All in all, the job has been done the best of my ability, however, I now have this doubt hanging over me. Like I said, I have seen more articles saying I didnt need permission/ or a grant but proably should of advised my local authority.

 

I have since checked the copy deeds etc and have found nothing that would restrict me altering windows or doors.

 

Can anyone advise please? As far as I am concerned I have made the property safer for my family and more attractive.

 

I am nothing wanted to get into any trouble and only want things done right, so if that involves informing the council retrospectively then I will do so.

 

If I have 'messed up' then can anyone advise on how I can rectify this and potential cost if I have to go to council? I have all photos of the installation from start to finish which will corroborate what I have done.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

Many thanks James

[Jeremy Harris]

Welcome,

 

There may be two issues, here:

 

The first is whether or not replacing the window with a patio door needed planning consent, or whether it falls within permitted development rights.  The chances are it probably doesn't need planning consent if it's not at the front of the house, but you can check on the Planning Portal: https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/14/doors_and_windows

 

The second issue relates to building control, and you almost certainly do need building control approval for the work done.  Getting this retrospectively shouldn't be a major issue, if the work done complies with the regs, I think.  The regs are slightly different in Scotland, though, so probably best to give your local building control people a call and ask what they need.  One of our members who's more familiar with the quirks of Scottish building regs may be able to provide more info.

[Simplysimon]

@JamesFlannery

i would take a disc and cut back the render around the window/door to see whether the quoins are all the way down. if they are, cut neatly around and expose them. paint render to finish and leave as is. it's always been a door.

[scottishjohn]

27 minutes ago, Jeremy Harris said:

The second issue relates to building control, and you almost certainly do need building control approval for the work done.

in scotland --yes you need a building warrant

[JamesFlannery]

Thanks for this guys,

 

Am I likely to get into abot of trouble over this then?

 

Any Idea how much this is likely to cost me?

 

FYI - the door is to the rear of the house and cant be seen at all. We have a 6ft wall around the house. 

 

There is nothing easy?

[scottishjohn]

a slap on the wrist and maybe a "letter of comfort " ,think mine was about £50 from council 

talk to them 

[JamesFlannery]

4 hours ago, scottishjohn said:

a slap on the wrist and maybe a "letter of comfort " ,think mine was about £50 from council 

talk to them 

I will speak to them soon. Thanks for the info!

[Temp]

If you keep quiet its only likely to be an issue if a future buyer spots that the door is new.

 

It's been awhile since I sold a house but there might be a standard question from the solicitor asking if any notifiable work has been done without a warrant. It's not always a show stopper. In England you can buy insurance that covers the buyer just in case Building Control visit and ask for remedial work to be done.

[JamesFlannery]

3 hours ago, Temp said:

If you keep quiet its only likely to be an issue if a future buyer spots that the door is new.

 

It's been awhile since I sold a house but there might be a standard question from the solicitor asking if any notifiable work has been done without a warrant. It's not always a show stopper. In England you can buy insurance that covers the buyer just in case Building Control visit and ask for remedial work to be done.

 

This is my first house so I am not clued up. I assume before you sell a house a 'building/house report' would need to be obtained. Surely the surveyor would notice that a door would have been added? 

 

Anyway, I don't think its a chance I am willing to take, especially if I can sort it out sooner rather than later. 

 

 

 

[ProDave]

5 hours ago, JamesFlannery said:

 

This is my first house so I am not clued up. I assume before you sell a house a 'building/house report' would need to be obtained. Surely the surveyor would notice that a door would have been added? 

 

Anyway, I don't think its a chance I am willing to take, especially if I can sort it out sooner rather than later. 

 

 

 

There is the innocent "oh is that new?  well it was there when I bought the house."  Honest.

 

One house I have been doing a lot of wiring alterations had had a whole raft of alterations without building control. I did tell the guy I think he is nuts and will likely have some big issues if he ever sells it but he doesn't care.

[Gone West]

6 hours ago, JamesFlannery said:

Surely the surveyor would notice that a door would have been added? 

Back in the 90s I took out a large window and the wall underneath and replaced with french doors. I didn't alter the lintels and when I sold the house nobody questioned anything. How would they know what was there originally.

[ProDave]

17 minutes ago, PeterStarck said:

Back in the 90s I took out a large window and the wall underneath and replaced with french doors. I didn't alter the lintels and when I sold the house nobody questioned anything. How would they know what was there originally.

By the style of house.  These old croft houses were very often originally built with only one door at the front.

[JamesFlannery]

3 hours ago, ProDave said:

By the style of house.  These old croft houses were very often originally built with only one door at the front.

My cottage in particularly has been extended twice to the front (flat roofs) and has been harled (dry dash). Probably looks complety different to what in did when it was build in 1896. 

 

3 hours ago, PeterStarck said:

Back in the 90s I took out a large window and the wall underneath and replaced with french doors. I didn't alter the lintels and when I sold the house nobody questioned anything. How would they know what was there originally.

 

I am assuming that times have changed since then. Also, not sure if your in Scotland? My trouble has arose from not being aware about the builing warrant, which I beleive is Scotland only. I hail from Nort east England. Toatal oversight.

 

Really, all I am trying to establish is if this is going to cost be thousands ot it simply can be rectified with integrity. 

 

Contrary to the work I have done to my house, I am.not usually a chancer.

[JamesFlannery]

Just an update.

 

Spoke to the council on Monday gone. Unfortunate the lady could offer me no advice whatsoever as the 'building control' people are working from home owning to covid-19.

 

Understandable.

 

I have since learnt not to worry about this. I hope gaining a retrospective warrant is fairly straightforward.