UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi all,

Thanks for any advice forthcoming...

I'd like to know if anyone has any experience sub dividing their home and creating two separate flats with two separate titles.

My place is perfect to create a studio flat with it's own entrance to rent out or sell, whilst leaving me with a 2 bed flat to live in.

Has anyone been through a similar process and can shed light on how possible it might be to get permission?

Do you own the property on a freehold or leasehold basis? If it's the latter, there may be restrictions on what you can do to the fabric of the building, so that would be the first thing to check.

I would speak to a local Architect, one who would claim he already has good, well-established, contacts with your Local Authority's Planners. Not only will they tell you the chances of success, they may get you thinking about things in a different way - they will also shepherd your application through Planning and Building Control, and even Listed Building Consent, if necessary (although less likely it'd be allowed). Having been through something similar, but not this, expect to shell out around £1,000 to pay the Architect for drawings, specifications (there are regulations to meet with flats for thermal and acoustic insulation), submissions, and fees that go directly to the Council (so they can put up their little notices on lampposts etc.). After that you have a green light for 3 years, or... you don't.