More than one in 10 homeowners who undertook a major renovation project either failed to obtain the proper planning permission, or didn’t realise they had to do so, the latest research by eXp UK has revealed.
The survey of over 5,600 homeowners found that a quarter (25%) of all respondents have undertaken a major renovation project, such as adding an extension to their home.
However, a good proportion of these homeowners could be at risk of receiving an enforcement notice, having failed to properly obtain the proper planning permission before cracking on with their renovation project.
In fact, more than one in 10 (12%) stated that they had either not obtained planning permission prior to their renovation project (6%), or they didn’t realise they had to do so (6%).
Of those who failed to secure planning permission, 21% stated that they did so knowingly, with the main reason for doing so being that they were confident they wouldn’t be found out.
In the UK, homeowners must obtain permission for any project that meets the definition of ‘development’.
Whilst this largely focuses on the construction of a new building or extension, it can also include the conversion of a house into a flat, for example, or the division of an existing structure into two or more separate dwellings.
The most common factors that can influence the need for planning permission include the size and height of a building, the land usage required, the style of the improvements in question and even where you choose to place your windows.
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 on their existing homes, such as extensions or conversions, 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.”
