Rebecca is correct - local building and safety departments can and do scout areas for illegal additions and/or conversions. Quite often this is targeted towards illegal garage conversions, but they could be looking for other signs of unpermitted work as well.

In the Santa Clarita area, building and safety's code violation officers are definitely doing a street-by-street search for illegal additions/conversions, largely due to an abundance of public complaints about overcrowding in houses with illegal garage conversions.

Regardless of how you were reported, you would need to disclose unpermitted additions or conversions when you decide to sell your property. It's best to get the required permits up front, rather than attempting to recover from the lack of permits after the work has been completed.

Sun May 4 2008, 18:43

Revenge is not healthy! :)

Wed Apr 23 2008, 08:05

If you are doing all the work with permits, you have nothing to worry about. Do note that all such reports will be anonymous as a way for the city to encourage their version of Neighborhood Watch (over unpermitted and unsafe renovations, etc).

I had a client who was reported to the City Planning Department because of full expansion to his basement. We were quite amused and even had a laugh over it. We thought perhaps it was sour grapes because his house was done beautifully and was valued much higher than the neighboring houses --- and all the work was done with permits. So there!

If you are doing an obvious improvement, remodeling, expansion, etc. it could be anyone who is walking by, or one of your neighbors who is concerned about the integrity of the neighborhood, safety on the job, etc. Consider this a wake up call for you to go by the book, or get booked (fined!).

Doing it right the first time is always better than having to do it all over again (especially if the City makes you rip out the unpermitted work).

Good luck.

Mon Apr 21 2008, 23:47

When you find out what are you going to do about it?

Mon Apr 21 2008, 23:13

I have recently had a client who was also reported to LA Building and Safety. There was an addition that was allegedly unpermitted. They will not release that information as it is anonymous. My client was very upset and also wanted to know who the culprit was. I pointed out to them that let's stay focus on what is important here. We sold your home in 7 days over the asking price! In the end there was no basis for their claim as the addition had permits! Good luck.

Mon Dec 10 2007, 09:05

Nope, not in Los Angeles without a legal order.

In Los Angeles Building and Safety does do door to doors in random neighborhoods and they also use ariel photos to find people who are building without permits. If it is obvious construction is going on from anywhere on the exterior, even from piles of lumber sitting in the driveway, it may not have been an individual reporting you.

Building permits are a huge source of revenue for the city and they have gotten much more proactive in seeking out any building without proper permits.

Mon Dec 10 2007, 07:57

Mike- We are further down south, near San Diego. I know that when you make any complaint in my town, they will only take the complaint if you fill out a form, and on the form you must fill out your name, address, etc. But they always say that they won't pass that information on to the person you make the inquiry or complaint about. I'm sure they don't want to take the chance of repercussions from an angry person.

Sun Dec 9 2007, 22:08

Probably not. Complaints or calls to the building department can be very anonymous.

Sun Dec 9 2007, 21:39