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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to ask my management company...

21 replies

brighthair · 09/04/2011 18:43

Long story, but will try and shorten it!
I live in a block of 4 apartments. Mine is ground floor, with a garden (the only apartment with one. We have the same rules as the block on the next road which is a block of about 30 apartments. V long list of rules including decorating in approved colours, no pets, no sky dishes etc etc. I own the property BTW
I am desperate for a washing line/airer. Clothes aren't drying inside, and there is nowhere to put a tumble dryer.
Would it be unreasonable to ask management company that given each garden (belonging to house) on either side of me has an airer, if I can have a retractable washing line?
I can see they don't want the block of 30 festooned with washing over the balcony, but I'm not sure if I am being unreasonable thinking it's a totally different situation......

OP posts:

MissPenteuth · 09/04/2011 18:49

No harm in asking.

FabbyChic · 09/04/2011 18:51

I would not even have asked Id have just got one and waited to see what happened.

Will it lower the tone?

Original poster

brighthair · 09/04/2011 18:51

thanks. I snuck the airer out today whilst upstairs neighbours (who will report me!) were out, and it smells gorgeous, and dried so quickly!

OP posts:

squeakytoy · 09/04/2011 18:53

Get a rotary dryer, you can take it down when it isnt in use, and nobody will see the metal hole in the ground. They cant stop people hanging washing outside, that is a basic part of life and a necessity really. Alternatively, put your clothes on a washing maiden and put them outside, I do that if I only have few bits and the rotary isnt up.

Original poster

brighthair · 09/04/2011 18:53

hahahah Fabbychic - my area is often referred to as "the ghetto" by people. I think the people that blast our windows with air rifles/throw bricks/pull down plants lower the tone....

I would just get one if it wasn't for my blasted neighbours - they have complained so many times about cooking smells/me smoking in the garden.... and I just know they will tick their box of what rule I have broken this time..

OP posts:

squeakytoy · 09/04/2011 18:56

I have to be honest, I could not live like that with so many petty rules and regulations. I would have to move.

Original poster

brighthair · 09/04/2011 19:02

see that's the only one that really bothers me. My mortgage advisor messed up, I had to move into a B&B and put my stuff in storage so my buyers wouldn't pull out, and only 2 weeks before completing did we get the list (sorry, book!) of rules. Most of them are pretty sensible like no excess noise between 11pm and 7am, but the approved decorating made me want to paint a room black.... maybe that's just me?!

OP posts:

squeakytoy · 09/04/2011 19:13

If you own a house, you should be able to decorate it as you like. I can understand the noise rules, and also not being able to make any structural changes, but ffs, the rest of the rules would drive me bonkers!

My stepson lives in a similar block with daft rules, but nobody takes any notice and luckily they all get on well with the neighbours.

RhiRhi123 · 09/04/2011 19:17

That seems really silly. Surely most things like the noise is just common courtesy but it just seems ridiculous that u can't paint your OWN house in the colours you want or put up a washing line!

LaWeasel · 09/04/2011 19:19

It is absolute madness that you can't paint (the inside) of your own flats. Who is going to see for starters?

Original poster

brighthair · 09/04/2011 19:22

tell me about it. The whole washing things stems from the rule about "no washing to be visible outside your apartment" so no hanging clothes from curtain poles, and therefore no clothes can be dried outside
Oh and the only pets allowed are "one caged bird, or fish"

OP posts:

LaWeasel · 09/04/2011 19:32

Is it really wrong of me to want you to get together with your neighbours and stage a revolution.

"We own our flats you baaaarsstards!" Possibly with laundry festooning the balconies in protest.

TheSkiingGardener · 09/04/2011 19:39

I am a director of that kind of management company. The directors are obliged by law to uphold whatever covenants are placed on the flats. If they don't, the other flat owners can hold them to account.

However, we are sensible and there is a general consent on sky dishes as the situation has changed so much since the covenants were put in place. In this case I would go to the management company stating your case, that yours is the only garden in this bit and all the other gardens have washing out. I've never heard of a restriction on decoration inside flats either. We have a rule about structural changes but not paint colour FGS

Original poster

brighthair · 09/04/2011 19:43

thank you that's helpful. Luckily the nice tv man spotted a sky socket, and tested it, then informed me I already had Sky (new build flat, me first person to live there). Sky man last seen driving round block looking for dish as we have no idea where it is!
This list was given to me 4 years ago when I bought the apartment.

So options are
stick line up, see if neighbours whinge to management company
ring management company first, then risk them saying no and putting line up

BTW - I haven't actually seen the management company since I moved in, and the "monthly inspections" have never happened
cough thank God as I would have to hide the hamster ;-)

OP posts:

FuppyGish · 09/04/2011 19:50

'monthly inspections' ????! when you own the place??

HerHissyness · 09/04/2011 20:12

Monthly inspections? Jesus I rent and have to have quarterly inspections...

That is BU. You own the place FGS, what are they going to do if you do put your clothes outside?

Original poster

brighthair · 09/04/2011 20:13

pass! I did get a snotty letter telling me they were going to "dispose of" my wellies that were on my front door mat if I didn't remove them. Maybe they'll burn my clothes and airer?!

OP posts:

dawntigga · 09/04/2011 20:24

Having worked for a management company find out who the directors of your actual common areas maintenance company is. Before you ask I worked for CPM years ago before they got taken over by the current shower - just my opinion btw! Talk to the directors first, they are usually people who own properties in the block. I wouldn't bank any hopes on getting it mind due to covenants etc. On my last day at CPM a director wanted me to write threatening legal action at a householder who had put a 6" picket fence around their lawn against the covenant. I'd rather poke my own eyes out than go back to that job!

HasHadManyAndVariedRolesTiggaxx

Original poster

brighthair · 09/04/2011 20:38

I know who the management company is - a nightmare to get hold of! Is CPM countrywide ;-)?!

OP posts:

dawntigga · 09/04/2011 20:54

It is now - it wasn't then. The current owners bought it because it had a reasonable brand at the time. Of course things have changed since then!

NoLongerFeelsSickGoingToWorkTiggaxx

Original poster

brighthair · 09/04/2011 20:57

I think that covers who my company is ;-)

OP posts:

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