Planning Permission & Building Reg question re Garage indemnity ins?

[ant_j]

Hi all,
My first post here so hello and please be gentle.

We have just sold our house (stc).
We are currenty in solicitors hands and have had questions asked of us.

We have a detached single garage.
It had garage door (up and over) at front and side door entrance at rear.

We put in a stud wall (2x2 frame and boarded) between the front and rear thus splitting into two.
Replaced the front up and over with french doors in 2x2 frame.
The rear used for storage, the front was used for storage for my dj stuff.
The roof was also boarded flat with insulation stuck in to reduce noise.

Have told solicitor garage not intended for living space, french doors there to add security.

We didnt seek either building regs or planning, assumed not needed
Girlfriend now worrying.

Do I remove stud wall and replace french doors with garage one?
Do I seem indemnity insurance, is this annual or one off payment?
If insurance taken, is this for life, do works still need rectfying?

Can anyone set me straight?

[bellijayne]

Hmmm there could be a hornets nest about to be opened here. In your promotional materials what have you described this as? Me, I'd say as little as possible. You can see by the pic that it's not actual living space, however the other side may want all the paperwork in place. How long ago was this transformation done? You could try & bluff it (over 12 Yrs), I'm assuming it's Freehold, therefore it's at your discretion as to what you do with your home...The roof is more secure than a flat roof, any areial photo's taken are going to ring true...J

[Richard Webster]

If you were satisfied that the garage did not need planning permission or building regulation consent when built because it was far enough away from the house etc and within the other permitted development criteria then I cannot see what has changed unless it was advertised as a potentially habitable room rather than a glorified shed, because that 's what it is.