Leasehold flat renovation permissions needed but had to remove shower due to emergency leak

[Birdkin]

I live in a leasehold flat, I recently had 2 major leaks in my bathroom that required my whole shower to be removed as an emergency. I’ve contacted the management agency about building insurance as one of the leaking pipes doesn’t serve my flat just travels through it, still heard nothing back though….

My lease has a vague permission for alterations clause and I will contact them when I have a plan for a new shower (currently waiting for everything to dry out!)

However, while I was looking into whether there’s an official way you ask permission I’ve freaked myself out with stories of people getting their flats repossessed for not asking permission for things and technically I never asked permission to remove my shower/make a hole in the wall to get to it. Does it being an emergency change anything? If it makes any difference the management company are very uninvolved, they take the service charge and that’s pretty much it. Thanks from an anxious first time homeowner!

We used to live in a leasehold flat and replaced all of our radiators and the bathroom before realising we were supposed ask the freeholders permission. We never did and when we sold no one asked any questions, so I wouldn't worry too much.

I can't imagine they would be bothered about a hole in the wall if you've fixed it, or you would have to ask them for things like mounting shelves, putting up pictures etc, which I've never heard of anyone doing in a leasehold flat. There is probably also something in your lease about you maintaining the interior of the flat to a certain standard, so emergency repairs would be covered I'm sure.

Thank you, that’s reassuring.

That clause is mostly there for structural alterations and changes of use - creating en suites, for example, or knocking down internal walls. A straight like-for-like replacement doesn't need permission.

You can raise your own insurance claim with the buildings insurers if you have the policy documents - really the agents shouldn't be running claims unless they're FCA regulated.