Retrospective planning application — how honest should I be?

We bought our house last year and the previous owner had built a large conservatory without planning permission. It was completed in 2019, so well within the 4-year enforcement window.

We're now selling and the buyer's solicitor has flagged it. We've been advised to apply for retrospective planning permission.

My question is: how honest should we be in the application? Do we say "we didn't build it, the previous owner did" or does that just complicate things? And what's the realistic chance of refusal for something that's been standing for 5 years with no complaints?

Be honest but factual. Say "the conservatory was constructed by the previous owner in 2019. We purchased the property in [year] and are now seeking to regularise it." The council doesn't care who built it — they just care whether it's acceptable now.

Approval rates for retrospective applications are actually quite high if the build is well-constructed and doesn't cause harm. The fact it's stood for 5 years with no complaints is strong evidence in your favour.

That's reassuring. We'll frame it exactly like that.