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Insurance

Brits take risks by renovating homes without planning permission

Christina Hoghton
Written By:
Christina Hoghton
Posted:
Updated:
27/02/2024

Over half (57%) of UK homeowners say they’ve had extensive work done on their properties, according to Co-op Insurance.

But worryingly, almost a fifth of them (15%) are unsure if they got the correct permissions when doing so.

Of these, 29% said they risked it because they knew they’d get away with it, while a further 20% of homeowners admitted they didn’t let their insurers know about the changes.

Of the UK homeowners unsure if they got the correct consent for building work such as extensions, conservatories and loft conversions, a fifth (19%) said they didn’t know they needed to while 14% said it didn’t cross their minds.

And one in 10 didn’t bother as they thought it would cost them too much money.

Planning on no planning permission

The insurance provider revealed a growing trend of homeowners conducting building work without relevant authorisations. Two fifths (43%) are planning on future building work and of these, a fifth (18%) would risk not getting relevant consent.

Almost a third (29%) say it’s because they know they’ll get away with it and a quarter (25%) reckon that getting permissions would slow the work down.

Caroline Hunter, head of home insurance for Co-op Insurance, said: “It’s really important that homeowners get the correct permissions and let their insurers know when extensive building work such as conservatories, extensions and loft conversions are taking place.

“That way, if anything was to go wrong with the property, either whilst the building work is ongoing or once it’s completed, it will be covered by their insurer.”