Windows in block of flats - curious!

[handbags88]

I'll admit it now - this is nosey of me!

I've been watching the block of flats across the street today as I paint our bedroom.

There are builders replacing the windows of a flat that has just been bought. However, they have put in one of the new windows just now and it's a totally different style to the rest of the building.

I remember when DH and I had our flat that it said in the title deeds no changes were to be made to the exterior or windows.

My nosey point is - what will happen? Will they be made to take the window out again?

We stay in a house across the road and I'm not bothered by it - I just happened to notice and am curious about what might happen nosey cow

Depends what it says in their Lease. The majority of flats in blocks have a management company/freeholder who will state in the lease that external (major) works are done by them and costs distributed with all the other leaseholders. However, some leases will say that you can do work yourself (at your own cost) providing you have obtained consent. However, as with all rules and regulations, people don't always read them and it may be that the flat owner has gone ahead and changed his windows without consent. It would then be a problem when he comes to sell as the buyer's solicitors will want to see documentation confirming that the freeholder gave permission. If he doesn't have the permission, he will need to get retrospective permission (causing delays) or the freeholder/management company may insist they are removed or that they are changed to the same as the all the other windows in the block, if they hadn't already done so.

As a managing agent, I would write to them telling them that they had to replace them in keeping with the building and to apply for a licence to alter to allow them to change them.

They would in all likelihood tell me to fuck off or ignore my letter. I'd then put a note on file so when they attempt to sell, it would be raised in a management pack for the purchasers that there were unauthorised alterations. They would be unwise to proceed on that basis, vendor applies for retrospective permission, we say not until they're in keeping with the look of the building, they change the window, get permission, sell their flat.

You can go down the legal route to enforce the lease but this is just as effective (and cheaper).

Our managing agents would push very hard to get the dodgy windows replaced ASAP so we don't have to spend years looking at them before they sell up. We have fierce managing agents and we love them.

I love leaseholders like you grubby. Most of mine just tell me that they don't want to spend more than 27p on anything and then wonder why I can't actually enforce the rules because they won't allow me to spend the money.

I think the people who manage the estate here are quite strict - so I am waiting to see what happens!

The builders finished putting in the windows at teatime - three in total. They look very odd, as they seem to have an anti-glare/tinted thing going on!

It would totally piss me off if I lived in the flats.

They might also need planning permission to change windows in flats.....

In my area you need planning permission from the local authority to change windows in blocks of flats. I don't know if that's common throughout the country.

I hadn't thought about that - I think you are right about planning permission.

The windows are still there - so perhaps no-one has noticed yet!

I bought a listed building around the same time as the one next door sold. The previous owners had put pic windows in and the new people were made to change them. It cost them £3,500 ! Quite a lot of houses have recently replaced them I'm watching and waiting. We replaced the front ones and put wooden sash ones like for like so no excuse you can get them . They look lovely a young lad made them. The craftsmanship is wonderful.

Where I live people assume we are connected with an estate because of the layout.
The estate is very strict about alsorts.
Our little block, not so much and we can change windows, have doors whatever colour we like, have hanging baskets and countless other things.

I remember a couple who bought a listed building in the village where I grew up.

They demolished it to build a newer, modern house but they were made to rebuild everything using the same types of brick etc (turns out it was grade A) - we lived in a conservation area.

Apparently they didn't bother applying for planning permission!