There are no allowances as the house is painted by the builders and all units are fitted with standard kitchens. I didn't buy the house from the plans - we made the purchase when the house was basically completed. Although we signed contracts in May they still haven't been returned. We have no land registry approved scheme map and no certificate of compliance. However, we stipulated that the contracts were subject to all this documentation being provided.
The extenal dimensions of the house are unchanged by the errection of the studded partition. It's a mid terrace house. I've been told that if we "reclaim" the area that's effectively being cordoned off, there will be no problems at a later date, if and when we decide to sell the property.
This problem is symptomatic of the wider difficulties for first time buyers. In effect, the building industry is effectively holding my ilk to ransom. I find their responses to any queries unsatisfactory in the extreme....The stock response resembles that of Brendan Grace when he was playing the jungle loving priest in Fr Ted: "Have you a problem with that?" ...i.e. if you do, we ain't bothered. The house will sell again if you pull out, we'll make even more money and you're going to be the loser in all of this.
It's hard to know what to do in the face of such attitudes.