Permission For Pets on A Freehold Property

klaani

Hi everyone, looking for some advice with regard to bringing our dog with us to our new home. Quick background:
We have had an offer accepted on a share of freehold property down the road from where we live now. The flat we live in and the flat we hope to move into, both happen to have the same managing agents. We have read in the lease for the new flat that we need permission to bring a dog into the new building. We have written to request that permission, but have heard nothing back from the management committee in the new building. We have included a reference from the managing agents saying that in 4 years, they have never received any complaint about our dog, and offered to meet the management committee in person if they would like to meet the dog, as well as offered to provide more references from other residents in the block of flats we live in now.
It goes without saying that we mentioned in our letter that we are respectful, responsible dog owners who have two small children and a very friendly, "family" dog (she is very small also). As the days pass and we hear nothing, we get more and more concerned that they are going to refuse our dog.
If we get a response saying "no", should we be seeking legal advice? Should we pursue the issue? Should we ignore the "no" response and take our chances and move in with the dog and see what happens? The lease specifically says that we need permission from the management committee to bring any pet in, but it doesn't say "no pets." By buying into a freehold, do we have more rights than if we were in a leasehold property?
I'd really appreciate any advice or insight, if anyone has any suggestions I'd love to hear them. I thought these forums might be a good place to start gathering information.
Thank you!!

G_M

a share of freehold property

How many 'freeholders' are there? It is up to the freeholders to decide. The Managing Agents are just that...agents for the freeholders. Speak to/write to the freeholders.

klaani

Hi, yes that is what we did, and it is the management committee (all made up of freeholders) who have not written back. We got the reference from the managing agents, but the management committee got the letter itself.

G_M

So how many are there? Who are they? Is it a massive development with 100s of houses or a single building with 2 or 3 flats? If the latter why not knock on the door and ask? If their friendly/helpful, great. If the opposite, well, maybe you don't want the hassle of living next to them and sharing a freehold committee with them!

poppysarah

Dog in a flat? Nah too many neighbours to annoy. Don't do it.


Freehold flat - ask solicitor but that sounds like problems...

Fire_Fox

Freehold is not the same as share of freehold: if it is a small block the freeholders probably don't meet very often so you may have to wait for a response. Having an offer accepted on a share of freehold confers no more rights than on a leasehold property because you haven't completed yet!! Once you complete the purchase you will get one vote same as the other freeholders. You absolutely should not move in with your dog if you get a no - clauses in the lease can be enforced through the LVT route.

klaani

G_M wrote: »

So how many are there? Who are they? Is it a massive development with 100s of houses or a single building with 2 or 3 flats? If the latter why not knock on the door and ask? If their friendly/helpful, great. If the opposite, well, maybe you don't want the hassle of living next to them and sharing a freehold committee with them!

This is a larg-ish development, about 80 flats altogether. It would be impossible to go around and ask everyone, and we don't even know who is on the managing committee for the building so couldn't even write to them directly.

klaani

poppysarah wrote: »

Dog in a flat? Nah too many neighbours to annoy. Don't do it.


Freehold flat - ask solicitor but that sounds like problems...

We've actually been living with this dog in a flat for 4 years with no complaints from any other residents in our 120 flat development. She is small (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel) and my husband and I both work from home so she is home with us all day and is very quiet and docile. I can't imagine that if she isn't annoying any residents here at the moment, why she would begin to do anything to annoy residents anywhere else. This is why we have offered to bring her in to meet the managing committee.

klaani

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Freehold is not the same as share of freehold: if it is a small block the freeholders probably don't meet very often so you may have to wait for a response. Having an offer accepted on a share of freehold confers no more rights than on a leasehold property because you haven't completed yet!! Once you complete the purchase you will get one vote same as the other freeholders. You absolutely should not move in with your dog if you get a no - clauses in the lease can be enforced through the LVT route.

Thanks for this info, it is very helpful.

Fire_Fox

klaani wrote: »

We've actually been living with this dog in a flat for 4 years with no complaints from any other residents in our 120 flat development. She is small (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel) and my husband and I both work from home so she is home with us all day and is very quiet and docile. I can't imagine that if she isn't annoying any residents here at the moment, why she would begin to do anything to annoy residents anywhere else. This is why we have offered to bring her in to meet the managing committee.

It's not only about your dog being 'annoying' - some people are allergic, certainly that is why my parents block does not allow cats or dogs. In addition the freeholders may feel your well behaved dog paves the way for other flats to have dogs that are larger, noisier and less well toilet trained.

G_M

klaani wrote: »

This is a larg-ish development, about 80 flats altogether. It would be impossible to go around and ask everyone, and we don't even know who is on the managing committee for the building so couldn't even write to them directly.

In that case I'd forget it. If it was a 3 flat/single building with an informal arrangement between the freeholders you could sound them out/introduce the dog.

This will be a formal arrangement, official committee, and for reasons above unlikely to make exceptions.