Leasehold flat - consent to alterations cost

[cat with a hat]

Hi there,

I have a leasehold flat that I am planning to make minor interior changes to. (These changes will not require planning consent, only building regulations approval.)

I've contacted the freeholder who has confirmed he would not object. However, he's playing games and would like me to make an offer for the consent to alterations.

I've done a bit of research online, but it would be great to have some additional opinions on what would be a reasonable fee for the freeholder to charge.

Cheers

[Thermobaric]

I would advise suggesting that the freeholder read section 19 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1927. Perhaps a token £20/£50.

[Du1point8]

Can you explain why?

My freeholder wanted 400 GBP and 350 GBP for permission to change the carpets to wood flooring and to remove a non load bearing wall.

The neighbour paid for the permission, I have not, is there a way round this?

[Wings]

It is about reasonableness, and if the leaseholder considers the freeholder is being unreasonable, then the leaseholder can put a case before the local county court. Obviously the costs of doing the same, together with other reasonable costs (surveyor, solicitor fees etc. etc.) the freeholder could seek to recover from the leaseholder, needs to be also considered by the leaseholder.

As a leaseholder of several leasehold BTL flats, I tend to seek advice from the Leasehold advisory Services, link below, the same also offer a pre-booked free telephone legal advice service.

http://www.lease-advice.org/advice/find-the-right-...

[carreauchompeur]

Absolute licence to print money it would seem, freeholding is a decent business nowadays!

[Lotobear]

What does the lease say about alterations and the need for Landlord consent?

[cat with a hat]

Lotobear said:

What does the lease say about alterations and the need for Landlord consent?

All the documents are a complete mess of poorly legible photocopies. Nothing mentioned about cost and barely if anything about alterations.

It's worth mentioning that the alterations would include the removal of a non load bearing wall.

Also the freeholder would struggle to reject on reasonable grounds as another property in the building has been approved in the past for the exact same changes I am proposing.

[Claret Badger]

If you are changing the layout of the flat to something different than what is shown in the lease floorplan, you need a deed of variation and permission from the freeholder. They can give it to you for free, or they can charge you. I think any charge has to be 'fair', but thats subjective. Most Ive been charged is £1500.

Its your flat and in a way its shocking that you need permission to change its layout, but them's the rules.

[tony wright]

cat with a hat said:

Also the freeholder would struggle to reject on reasonable grounds as another property in the building has been approved in the past for the exact same changes I am proposing.

Wouldn't asking the above neighbour how much they paid solve your problem?

[Begall]

Du1point8 said:

Can you explain why?

My freeholder wanted 400 GBP and 350 GBP for permission to change the carpets to wood flooring and to remove a non load bearing wall.

The neighbour paid for the permission, I have not, is there a way round this?

Not sure what the freeholder has to do with the flooring in the property? Especially as it's usually installed by the first owner/leaseholder - the freeholder of my flat wouldn't even know what I'd put down in the first place.