Flat management companies

[GorgeousLadyofWrestling]

I live in a large private estate of flats and maisonettes. I own my flat but lots are rented. We have huge communal gardens and there’s lots of rules from the estate management company about what we can and can’t do. They own the leasehold and we own the freehold of our individual flat - there are no indoor shared areas. Our flats and maisonettes open directly into the paths and gardens, which the management company maintains.

They have lots of rules and some I get but some I find really restrictive. One is no washing outside - fine, I find it snobby and annoying but also sort of get it. The other to do with washing is no hanging it in your windows. This enrages me because on a sunny day, how is it good to have to use a tumble dryer or something? With the cost of electricity going up and plus, how bad tumble drivers are for the environment, it’s bad that we don’t have any other options. The rooms are all square with massive windows so I am not sure how you could hang any washing up to dry and it NOT be in the window, to be honest.

I flat out refuse to adhere to this rule and will push back on it if questioned - and probably find it a useful dialogue to have with them because there are compelling reasons to be able to air dry your washing. So I hang my washing in my windows and make use of the sun. But as a property owner, I was just wondering what action they could take against me for breaking this rule? I don’t know how much they act WITH authority versus how much authority they actually have. I am sure that upon buying the property, I have entered into some kind of contract with them but when push comes to shove, I don’t know how much they actually do - can they force me to sell my flat, for example? Extreme I know but I looking at my washing and wondering…😬

In theory they can take you to Court and get procession of your flat.

I also think you have confused the ownership - the management company act on behalf of the freeholder and they may also be the freeholder You have the leasehold.

What you should do is find all the other leaseholders and see what clauses they don't like in their leasehold contracts. Come up with good reasons why the clauses are unreasonable e.g. environmental issues, climate change and send a joint letter requesting that these should be ignored/not acted on if breached.

Btw hanging washing in windows is wrong as it can lead to damp flats. Hanging it outside on balconies fine.

Ahh yeah I got my leasehold and freehold the wrong way round.

We don’t have balconies on the ground floor flats. I have my windows open and am hanging my washing there. I would love a balcony to hang my washing out on!

If this restriction is in your lease, then yes they can take action for you for breach of lease and ultimately you could lose your flat.

I think you're being bit childish to be honest. No washing outside is a fairly common restriction for flats with communal gardens. I live in a flat and just use an airer to hang my washing on. In 20 years of doing it, I've never had a damp issue nor an issue with my washing. Making a drama out of it is really unnecessary.

Yes, you could have to forfeit your lease, the same as if you broke any of the other lease conditions.

OP this is the case I'm thinking off -
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6170745/amp/Leaseholder-locked-legal-battle-freehold-property-owner-seizes-600-000-London-flat.html?ico=amp_articleInlineText

The other cases I personally know about over the years are:

1. People changing windows without permission. If the windows match the breach is ignored but if all the flats have major works replacing all windows they still have to pay and have their windows replaced. If they don't match they are threatened with Court if not replaced. (I remember being round a friend's place, the caretaker shrugging and saying the owner has caused themselves a headache.)
2. BBQs on balconies. I don't need to go into that one.
3. Pets. It depends on the animal, type of building, location of the property and owners behaviour whether they are allowed. This is one where collective action by multiple leaseholders together can get a blanket ban removed.

I think from reading the op the issue is not with the ban on hanging washing outside, but by the windows, which I agree is ridiculous.

As others have said OP you can write to the freeholder to get them to remove these things from your contract (doesn't have to be in action with your neighbours but I can see how much more effective that might be), it's down to them ultimately though. It's a nightmare, some of the rules and regs of freehold properties are just stupid (speaking from bitter experience!).

Has anybody actually made a fuss about washing drying inside properties?
If not I'd say calm your jets. Thousands of people live in developments that ban commercial vehicles yet bring their works van home each night with no issue. I think drying washing inside probably sits in this category.

Secondly - if you still want to make a fuss - were the rules explicit when you bought the flat (the leases for our flats list the restrictive covenants) if so I don't think you can really push back too much you as you agreed to them by agreeing to the purchase.

If they are newer rules is there a clause in the lease that permits their introduction - e.g my block is enforcing no barbecues on terraces after a fire inspection having previously been a bit more laissez faire. This is being justified on a clause about not prejudicing the safety of the block.

As I said in my post - I get the rules about not hanging it outside. BUT. There is also a rule about no hanging washing by windows. Which is virtually impossible in a flat with square rooms and huge windows.

And also - why is it childish? Increased energy costs, impact on the environment…all compelling reasons as to why this rule is frustrating. Why is it childish to be frustrated with a rule that basically means you can’t hang your washing in your own property to dry?

Appreciate everyone else’s comments. There are a lot of rules that I get - it’s communal living and you don’t have the same freedom as a house and grounds.

Ideally I should probably join the residents association and go to the general meetings. But I work full time and have three children and am generally brain dead by the end of the day. Writing to them about the clause might be a good way to approach it. Someone asked if it was actually being flagged as a problem (apologies, I can’t remember which poster). We get a newsletter through every month with all the rules that are being broken by other residents. There’s about 75 flats in total and lots of people renting who perhaps haven’t been given the rules by their landlords.

If you have a residents association then join them before writing to the management company/freeholder.

You may be able to find other members to talk to or even talk to the chair, to see if your issue has come up before and what was said.

Plus nowadays they should send the meeting minutes out by email. So even if you don't attend a meeting you get more info on what has been going on apart from the newsletter.

I think there is a big difference between airer with washing on in the room and clothes actually being hung at the window?