Pazellenhäuschen without permit, get it approved retrospectively

Hello,

I had already asked in another thread how I could insulate my grandma's Pazellen house as cheaply as possible. However, there is a somewhat more serious issue that should be clarified out of interest.

My two grandpas and my father built a wooden house with a foundation about 30 years ago on an actual and formerly used pasture/meadow. There was never any direct meadow in this area, but rather something like a mini-forest. The plot is about 1000m², of which almost 50% is covered with bushes and trees. The rest is lawn, garden bed, and of course the wooden house.

Of course, no building permit was ever issued or requested for this. It was simply built, and apparently no one cared for 30 years, even though a new building was constructed right next door. Strangely enough, they managed back then to get an official electricity meter there, which is still running today.

My grandpa passed away some time ago, my grandma can't make use of the little house, and meanwhile my uncle was regularly there. After 1.5 years of no one being there and actually no one wanting to go anymore, I took it upon myself.

The question is, what could happen if the whole thing comes to light? Suppose a building authority employee in a bad mood happens to pass by and turns it against us. I am currently wondering if it is worth investing in renovation. Strangely, more and more land on the left and right sides is becoming building land, so it is not far-fetched that building land could also emerge there someday. Are there possibilities to get such a house approved retroactively?

The whole thing is very remote, there are neighbors but all pretty relaxed. I tend to not wake sleeping dogs, but I would like to invest some effort and diligence into the little house to be able to "live" there for longer periods of time. I will soon go abroad for 5 months and wanted to cancel my current apartment in order to temporarily live there afterwards.

But the current situation is too uncertain for me to sacrifice my already tight student budget and fix up the place.

Regards, bwing

Interestingly, on both the left and right sides, there is increasingly more land designated for construction, so it is not unlikely that building land could eventually be established there as well. Are there possibilities to have such a house approved retroactively?

Uninterestingly, I rather do not think it is likely that the little house coincidentally fits into the scheme of what a development plan would want built there. And customary law unfortunately only covers an illegal building after 100 years ;-)

Are there ways to get such a house approved retrospectively?

Theoretically yes, practically dependent on so many factors that even the dogs would have to be awakened to clarify them. Based on your descriptions, I consider retrospective legalization to be out of the question, because even if the plot were building land, the "house" would have to comply with current building regulations, which seems impossible regarding proof of structural stability, fire protection, and thermal insulation.

In this area, there was never directly meadow, but rather something like a mini-forest.

... which makes the matter worse. And as more and more is built around it, the risk increases that during a building inspection on a neighboring plot, the inspector will notice the hut.

Can't it somehow be declared as a hunting lodge or something similar? Just because there is electricity doesn't mean it has to be living space. And if you settle there for a few weeks... So what?

But he also wants to invest money and renovate. That's usually not done with a hunting cabin (which probably would need a permit given its size). ;-)

I guess something like a new roof or better insulation would void any existing legal protection and the thing would probably have to be completely removed. But you can really only clarify that with the building authority...

By the way, all it takes is a curious hiker who asks an office what is being done there and why it is allowed in the forest. It doesn’t have to be the nasty neighbor reporting you.

Wouldn't something like that first need to be legalized as a weekend house? Of course, not allowed for permanent residence then.