Buying in Canberra – advice on unapproved house extension/rooms?

Hi everyone,

I’m looking at buying a property in the ACT (currently renting it) but have discovered that a large extension – including a living room, bedroom and bathroom – was done without approval.

I understand I’d need to go through a certifier and potentially get retrospective approval, but I’m not sure how difficult or costly that might be in Canberra.

Has anyone here gone through this process in the ACT? Is it usually worth it, or is buying a place with unapproved rooms too risky?

Any advice or experiences would be appreciated!