| They’re called live/work apartments, and have sprouted in urban centres across the UK. They are targeted at the pioneers of home-based working, and usually feature cutting-edge architectural design. But now hundreds of purchasers who use them entirely as a residential space, face eviction following a clampdown by council planning departments. Under Section 172 of the Hackney’s Town and Country Planning Act 1990, councils can require breaches of planning rules like is happening with these “business use” apartments to be “remedied”. But, because it is such a new phenomenon, the rules surrounding live/work are especially vague. The council says that anyone living in a live/work unit must pay business rates on their property, as well as council tax. The flats could also be liable for capital gains tax when the business part of their flats are sold. |
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Posted August 25, 2007
