home improvements without permission from council .. need help

A question about : home improvements without permission from council .. need help

Hello .. need some advice .. we had a lot of work done in our house (including new windows . Loft conversation .. staircase moved in the living room ) had a builder who turned out to be a cowboy ! Took a lot of cash and left without doing all work .. whatever he did is not completed either.. had a visit from local council to check electric and found we hav done all of the work with permission from council.. we r now in process to submitt planning permission app for loft ..however advice needed as thy r saying that to keep stairs in the 2nd living room we either need to have sprinkle system on all ground floor exc kitchen or a wall seprating the living room n stairs... not sure what to do.. we hav 3 bed terraced house ..2 living rooms downstairs ...stairs going from 2nd living room near thd kit hen .. 1st living room hav wall seprating lobby n room.....not sure why this guy from cou cil insistinh to have spriniklle system on all ground flloor ..not able to move the stairs due to the positionig of 2nd staircase going from 1st floor to loft .. if we put wall 2nd living room would become too small n useless n we would loose too much living space .anybody any suggestion. Thnx

Best answers:

• What would you expect any of us to say, other than do one of the things suggested by the council to make your home comply with fire safety regs?
  You might not like what they say, but the council are trying to help.
  Every year people die in houses fires, so owning a property which has been altered in such a way that it doesn't meet regulations just means you and your family are more likely to be among them.
  Besides, a property which has been altered in breach of planning is not going to sell at a normal price.
• I know its more expense and am sure you can ill afford it, but I suspect you are going to have to go after the first builder, getting sheriffs out (who have more powers) to get any money awarded and then employ another builder who can advise on ways forward.
  You do need to have a wall where stairs are for fire safety.
  I'd get another builder in pronto to be honest to give quotes (will need this for court anyway as you will have to show how much it will cost to repair the work the builder has done), but make sure this one comes recommended, gives addresses for work he's already carried out where you can visit the customers and see what they thought of him.
  I hope you can find a way out of this.
  You could always contact https://www.channel5.com/shows/cowboy...to-investigate
• You are confusing planning permission and building regs. Most loft conversions do not need planning unless for example there is a dormer on the front aspect. So check first on Planning Portal that you really do need permission otherwise that will just be a planning fee wasted.
  The access and fire safety issues are all building regs approval which you need to comply with separately to planning if you want to use the loft as a liveable room.
• Paid builder for work in advance...
  Started work without considering/applying for Planning Permission....
  Did not consider or apply for building Control......
  Planned new layout without taking professional advice and considering all relevant factors.......
  Go back to 'Go'. Do not collect Ј200. Be grateful you are being sent to 'Go' rather than straight to jail.