Schedule of Condition prior to flat renovation - is this normal??? [confused]

[Audrey0989]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the board. Lots of interesting and useful discussions here, thanks very much for all the wisdom for first-time buyers like myself.

The hubs and I recently bought a flat in a mansion block and submitted plans to renovate it - we're knocking out 1.5 structural walls to make it more open-concept kithen/living area, putting in new floors, new kitchen and new bathrooms.

The management company has been SO SLOW, filtering and avoiding my husband's phone calls ("always on a meeting call", taking 4-5 days to respond to an email (and when they do - it's 1 line!). It has been utterly frustrating.

Today we found out from the landlord's surveyor that we'll have to do a Schedule of Condition - for which we were quoted 1200 quid!

Apparently the landlord's requested, as a condition to issuing us the license to alter, that we need to do a Schedule of Condition of the flat above, below us, and of the common area (they just had the common area re-done) - the whole building is only 4 floors!

Is this normal? Seems quite excessive no?? Why would they need a schedule of condition of the flat above and below??

Thanks everyone - would really appreciate it! And any tips on how we can get the management company to move faster would be greatly appreciated!!

I'm guessing because the scope of your works will potentially affect the flat above and below. So if there are any mishaps, issues caused as a result of you carrying out the works, the landlord will have a clause within the licence, referring to the schedule of condition, which requires you to pay for the rectification. By having a schedule of condition, both you and the landlord have a record of what condition the flats above and below / common area were in before you started your works. Its really to protect both sides.

Thanks Mandy!
Just seems a bit excessive for a flat reno? ??:(

No, because you are making structural changes and interfering with plumbing / perhaps gas in the kitchen / electricity.

And I think responding within a week is entirely normal for management companies - in fact its probably at the fast end of the spectrum!