Homeowners are not always seeking necessary planning consents

UK homeowners embarking on significant structural changes to their properties are not always obtaining the right planning permissions, according to a recent survey.

Estate agent eXp UK approached some 5,600 homeowners and discovered that one in 10 had either not gained the proper planning permission or were unaware it was a requirement.

The research revealed that a quarter of all respondents in total had overseen some kind of major project, such as an extension, remodelling or conversion work, on their home.

Among the one in 10 without the relevant planning consents, some 21 per cent agreed they were aware of planning laws and should have applied to their local authority or agency.

They also admitted that – despite the risk of enforcement or prosecution if found out – they were confident in not being discovered.

Adam Day, head of eXp UK, said: “Homeownership doesn’t come cheap and we’ve seen house prices continue to climb in recent years.

“So it’s understandable that a good proportion of homeowners have undertaken major renovation projects, such as extensions or conversions, on their existing homes in order to maximise space.

“What’s quite astounding is that a notable number of those undertaking a major renovation are doing so without ensuring the proper planning permission is in place.

“In doing so, they leave themselves open to enforcement and prosecution from the local planning authority if they aren’t able to secure a retrospective planning application.

“This can be a very costly mistake indeed, as having invested a considerable amount of money, they will find themselves back to square one and out of pocket.”

Planning consent is not essential for some building work. Some work falls under permitted development rights.

Ideally, you should speak to an expert, such as your architect, to find out more about what is required for your particular project.

Your architect will oversee this process for you.

If you do not achieve necessary consent, however, when it is required, then you may be in breach of the law and your local authority could exercise a planning enforcement notice.

This could stipulate the breach is remedied and the building taken back to its previous state – a process that can be extremely costly