Protected structure: buying anothers troubles?

antiskeptic

I'm considering purchasing a protected period property which is currently in bedsits.

From observation it would appear that the protected status of buildings around my way (Bray) isn't all that much enforced. I recall one of a terrace sold recently which had no door opening between front and rear reception rooms as standard and within a week of the sale, a double-door width hole appears, clearly visible through the front window from the street. A number of (reasonably in keeping) other visible mods were made, all without permission.

The house is within a few hundred metres of the planning office to boot!

The one I'm considering has a number of bodges to it including a nailed on extension, some hacked out cornicing where partitions were put up, some 600mm x 600mm plastic windows inserted into 600mm x 1200 opes (which previously contained sash window) with the remaining ope blocked up (an enterprising, if cheapskate, solution), etc.

On the one hand I know this is Ireland and what's written down in law frequently has no bearing in fact (e.g. driving unaccompanied on a provisional). On the other hand, I don't want to invite trouble - reading the conservation blurb would strike fear into the heart of even the lion-hearted.

To what extent am I technically future-liable for a previous owners gunthering when I buy a period property? It's not Powerscourt House or anything and if anywhere but Bray it probably wouldn't be listed as protected. I just want to be clear that if some eager beaver planner comes to town I'm not going to find myself on the wrong end of a conservation architects bill.

PS: Do I need permission to move from bedsit to residential? If so, it strikes me as something necessitating the town planners > aforementioned conservation architects.

Drift

My experience is that you won't be liable for what someone else has done. It would be very important to carry out an extensive condition survey with lots of detailed photos immediately upon taking posession.

You will need planning for what you describe and you will need a conservation professional for the job. The LA conservation office will extract their pound of flesh at this stage and the whole process will be significantly more expensive and more restrictive than a standard project. Also be aware that your development options will be limited and restricted by the original nature of the building.

With regards to the strength of oversight my experience is that it's proportional to the resources available and varies from LA to LA. If you do things without permission you will be breaking the law and liable for prosecution regardless of where you are located so my advice is only get into it unless you plan to do the job correctly - don't buy unless you can afford to do it right and the financial return still adds up.