Freeholder wants to redecorate common parts - advice pls
Discussion
Long story shortish. I'm a leaseholder in a purpose built block of flats. The block was completely stripped and refurbished in 2002, with all the flats being sold as new builds. It is currently in a modern(ish) for the time colour scheme, white, off-white, grey, black etc with teal doors. It's looking very tired (as the freeholder has not upheld their part of the lease to keep it in good order) but the colour scheme itself works well enough.
The managing agents are now arranging for a full internal redecoration but claim that the leaseholder has instructed them to paint all the internal walls beige (they call it Gardenia). This is quite frankly going to look gash when compared to the current colour schemes, and as there's no plan to change things like the floor (grey and black) it just won't look the way the block was intended. Especially jarring as the outside is still going to be white and grey.
Lease states simply that the freeholder is obliged to decorate the block in "appropriate" colours.
I and other residents have pointed out that plain white emulsion would be more in keeping with the original colour scheme. We bought into a reasonably modern looking block (with a few scuffs) and now rather than just paint it as is, the freeholder wants to make it look like we got a job lot on paintwork from an old folks home.
We're approaching them with our objections, but if it goes nowhere, is a tribunal likely to have any legs?
TLDR- Freeholder wants to paint the inside of our block a gash, boring, colour. Can we stop them?
The managing agents are now arranging for a full internal redecoration but claim that the leaseholder has instructed them to paint all the internal walls beige (they call it Gardenia). This is quite frankly going to look gash when compared to the current colour schemes, and as there's no plan to change things like the floor (grey and black) it just won't look the way the block was intended. Especially jarring as the outside is still going to be white and grey.
Lease states simply that the freeholder is obliged to decorate the block in "appropriate" colours.
I and other residents have pointed out that plain white emulsion would be more in keeping with the original colour scheme. We bought into a reasonably modern looking block (with a few scuffs) and now rather than just paint it as is, the freeholder wants to make it look like we got a job lot on paintwork from an old folks home.
We're approaching them with our objections, but if it goes nowhere, is a tribunal likely to have any legs?
TLDR- Freeholder wants to paint the inside of our block a gash, boring, colour. Can we stop them?
k everyone else.psi310398 said:
FWIW, I'm a freeholder (more by accident than design as I own one of the two flats in the building as well).
I had the common parts painted in white emulsion by agreement with the other leaseholder and it looks awful just a year later. Daily traffic (especially if small children are around) degrades emulsion fast. I know it's naff but I'd suggest that you ask the freeholder to get a wipeable finish, whatever shade you end up with.
Peter
Yeah, that is a concern, and the current white walls don't look great, but they are almost 15 years old. The woodwork is currently painted black in line with the black/grey/white/teal design (which they want to change to white) so will actually be harder to look after than it is now.I had the common parts painted in white emulsion by agreement with the other leaseholder and it looks awful just a year later. Daily traffic (especially if small children are around) degrades emulsion fast. I know it's naff but I'd suggest that you ask the freeholder to get a wipeable finish, whatever shade you end up with.
Peter
SystemParanoia said:
you could buy the freehold, then you're the one in control 
I've thought about it, but with 50 other leaseholders to round up (many of whom are BTL) and extract cash from, never going to happen!mgv8 said:
Do the leaseholder have meetings together? If not then a good time to start one.
You then need to ask the simple question as to why the change in color. Also as a group getting legal advice start to be a lot cheeper.
Yeah there's about 6 or 7 of us meet every six months, unfortunately the block has quite a few BTL landlords now.You then need to ask the simple question as to why the change in color. Also as a group getting legal advice start to be a lot cheeper.
TooMany2cvs said:
ITYM
TLDR - Freeholder hasn't repainted the inside in a decade and a half, so it looks scruffy, but we don't want them to repaint it now - because we don't like the colour.
The lease says "appropriate" colour. The freeholder decides what's appropriate.
We do want it painting, we just want it doing to the same standard that it was originally done. Would you honestly be happy if you bought in a modern development and then it was turned into an old fashioned beige development without any input from you? It's not like the freeholder has to bloody pay for it, we're paying it all ourselves. Their decision impairs the look of the place we live and provides absolutely no cost benefit to them, whatsoever.TLDR - Freeholder hasn't repainted the inside in a decade and a half, so it looks scruffy, but we don't want them to repaint it now - because we don't like the colour.
The lease says "appropriate" colour. The freeholder decides what's appropriate.
johnao said:
It is.
I've painted the outside of my house in Gardenia. It's a much warmer colour than the white of the house opposite.
Edited to add: Gardenia is not beige. Its colour is more of a cream or magnolia than the brown of a beige.
Fair dos, I'm sure on the right house it can look lovely, but I'm not convinced it's going to go with the rest of our block which is otherwise all grey/white/black and brushed steel.I've painted the outside of my house in Gardenia. It's a much warmer colour than the white of the house opposite.
Edited to add: Gardenia is not beige. Its colour is more of a cream or magnolia than the brown of a beige.
Edited by johnao on Wednesday 13th September 11:15
Edited by johnao on Wednesday 13th September 11:15
Mandat said:
Blue Oval84 said:
50. Does it have any relevance to my question of what, if anything, we can do using the tribunal process to control how the freeholder spends our money?
I think that the relevance that 2cv is aluding to is that currently only 4 leaseholders object to the proposed colour, compared to the remaining 46 that don't object.To view it from another angle, 100% of the people I've asked so far have objected, and one of them said they got in with a written complaint before I did.
Well I just managed to speak to the agent, apparently they've had a deluge of responses suddenly voicing an opinion after the letter went out... 
They're having another consultation and making it clear we'll go with majority rules this time. That's all I would ask.
I'm also going round to recruit people to vote for something sensible tonight, must ensure we don't split the vote lol.
They're having another consultation and making it clear we'll go with majority rules this time. That's all I would ask.
I'm also going round to recruit people to vote for something sensible tonight, must ensure we don't split the vote lol.
Heaveho said:
SantaBarbara said:
People love a Bossy Boots
I live in a leasehold property. There are plenty of " Bossy Boots here ". No-one loves them.Sump said:
Buy your own place?
I wondered how long it would take for that to come up. It is my own place and as I live near the city centre I can't afford a PH-worthy freehold mansion 
Anyway, this thread has delivered all of the things I expected and more, thanks for the input guys, I'll post up the outcome of the vote
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