I thought I was fairly au fait with landlord and tenant, freeholder and leaseholder matters etc. Previously when buying I've sussed out that the vendor needs to get an indemnity policy for me to stop access being blocked, and most recently I noticed that the plans at the Land Registry didn't actually show any access to my flat so had to get them redrawn...
But this has me completely foxed. Basically my flat is above business premises that are empty and To Let. The electricity for lighting the common parts of the flats is fed from the business premises.
Before Easter some contractors working below turned off the electricity when they left and so we have had no lighting in the access areas, stairs etc. I spoke to the ex-manager of the business who is still local and has keys and asked him to reinstate the electricity. He claimed not to know where the mains switches were and so didn't do anything.
Then it was Easter so no possibility of getting in touch with anyone else about it. After Easter I rang the Letting Agents for the premises who had sorted this out for me once before. He said he would speak to the Managing Agents for the property owners and also gave me their number.
I haven't rung yet because I thought I'd give them a chance to put it right. But some time in the last 24 hours someone has been along and REMOVED THE LIGHT FITTINGS!!! Now I'd consider this an act of war. But what would the legal position be and how should it be said? I guess I should start with the Managing Agents and find out if they did it, otherwise its theft isn't it (it was my lightbulb)? If it is them should I suggest that the lack of lighting will cause an accident for which they would be liable.
There isn't anything in my lease about lighting of common parts although I pay insurance to my Freeholders to cover the whole block's common parts, water tanks etc. The policy is in the name of the business premises owners so its passed on to my Freeholder for payment, he then charges us. The flats have a different Freeholder to the business premises, the business premises freeholders have the Head Lease.