House extension law

This phrase normally relates to planning law or neighbour and boundary law for when a house extension is constructed. House extension law relating to Planning permission normally applies to two areas of house extension design. The first is relevant planning policy applicable to householder extension schemes.

The second part of possible house extension law relates to permitted development - what you can build without planning permission. Both these aspects are pretty much discussed elsewhere on this web site so get clicking.

House extension law relating to boundaries and neighbours normally relates to encroachment of an extension over the boundary - a boundary dispute with a neighbour. Without proper resolution this can lead to extensive and costly court action. Some neighbours will spend hundreds of thousands of pounds going to ware over 50mm of fence line. If you do have a boundary dispute always try to resolve it face to face with the neighbour.

If still irresolvable and before court action, employ a building survey experienced in boundary line issues where you can both present them with the information and they can establish firstly where the surveyor considers the actual boundary line to be. Sometimes even this is inconclusive but a least you would have shared the cost & obtained an independent view.

Another aspect of house extension law may be to do with a house extension approved under planning or allowed under permitted development that is perhaps blocking a neighbours window or its size could be overbearing an neighbourly. Is there any house extension law that would protect such situations?

Well yes there is, one is called Planning policy contrived by the expert planners and central government which can be pretty subjective and the other is Planning Permitted development rights (PD). Regretfully the latter does not take into account any neighbour issues what so ever - the extension is either legal under PD or its not. The fact that it may block your light is of no consequence. Only a neighbours own court action would establish such rights of law which will be very costly and time consuming.

Whenever the word ‘law’ is mentioned the only people who ever end up winning at all parties expense are the solicitors and lawyers so always be pragmatic, accept compromise and work it out between the two parties without involving ‘the law’ as a first default position.