I guess this may have been covered before but here goes.Sorry about the length of post but I wanted to give as much detail as possible
We want to buy an apartment which is in a development of 8. Four are in a period house and four are in a modern block which has been added on. The one we are interested in is a ground floor apartment in the modern block, which has a communal entrance and rear exit, but with its own private entrance as well with a small private patio belonging to it.
The apartments each own a share of the freehold.
Although there is a no pets clause other apartment holders have cats (in fact this apartment has a cat flap in the patio doors). There is also a no rental clause but this apartment has been rented out for 7 years.
We have a small dog, a miniature schnauzer, so we asked one of the other residents that we met, who happens to be one of 3 directors of the development, if pets were allowed and he said 'not really' and that some residents had 'snuck' them in, same with the rental.
We would only be living in the apartment over winter and even then not all the time.
Should we buy the apartment and chance it on the basis that others have done so and precedents have been set?
As we would own the freehold, do we need permission anyway.
Do we ask via solicitors and risk getting a negative response?
We really want the apartment but stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Any genuine advice welcome
Thanks