Not allowed to lay laminate floor - is there a way round it?

stargirl04

Hi, I bought my top floor flat (built 2005) a couple of months ago and want to lay new laminate flooring throughout the flat.

The lounge and hallway are already laminated, but it is a cheap laminate and is chipping; while the bedrooms have (horrible) carpets. I would like to put in new laminate in throughout.

However, the management company said No. They said the previous laminate must have been put in without permission and do not want me to lay any more in the bedrooms.

I told them that almost every flat in the block has laminate (as per Rightmove) but they said that must have been done without permission too.

My solicitor told me today that my lease states that I must "maintain adequate close carpeting with underfelt or underlay throughout the demised premises or take such other steps in relation to the composition or covering of the floors of the premises as the lessor may reasonably deem adequate having regard to the peace and quiet of the occupants in the block or in accordance with any relevant building regulation".

My solicitor said that as long as I "provided adequate sound proofing the lease does not specifically say you cannot lay the same".

Has anyone got any advice? I hate carpets. My sister said that if I install vinyl floors they are much quieter than laminate and the management company should not have a problem with that.

The management company can't give me an answer for two weeks as their director is on holiday and I have friends visiting from overseas in a few weeks and am desperate to get the floors done as I am still living among cardboard boxes. (I just thought it would be easier to get the floors done before putting big furniture items into small bedrooms.)

Has anyone got any advice or has anyone been in this situation? How can I resolve it. I really don't want carpets if I can help it.

Thanks for reading.

warehouse

If you lay laminate throughout your neighbours downstairs will hear EVERYTHING you do.

19lottie82

warehouse wrote: »

If you lay laminate throughout your neighbours downstairs will hear EVERYTHING you do.

This ^^^^ seriously, laying laminate when you have people below you is NOT a good idea.

But back to the question in hand. There's not much the management company can do about it, realistically. Apart from take you to court, but would they? I really doubt it.

I would seriously investigate adequate and potentially expensive soundproofing methods before investing in new hard flooring. Maybe do one room first and check with neighbours before installing the rest.

phill99

Sorry, posts # 2 and #3 are incorrect. The reason that the sound of laminate can be heard in flats below is that often cheap laminate is used(and for 'cheap' read 'thin') qnd is laid on low quality underlay, the combination of which will allow sound to travel. A better qulaity laminate (10-12mm) laid specifically on acoustic underlay will reduce sound transmission down to that of a carpet. And your solicitor is correct - the lease doesn't ban laminate flooring.

MaxTheCat

warehouse wrote: »

If you lay laminate throughout your neighbours downstairs will hear EVERYTHING you do.

And if they are like I was in this situation you may need to get used to very loud thrash metal being played from speakers resting on top of wardrobes pointing at your floor when you want time to relax.

AdrianC

stargirl04 wrote: »

My solicitor told me today that my lease states that I must "maintain adequate close carpeting with underfelt or underlay throughout the demised premises or take such other steps in relation to the composition or covering of the floors of the premises as the lessor may reasonably deem adequate having regard to the peace and quiet of the occupants in the block or in accordance with any relevant building regulation".

My solicitor said that as long as I "provided adequate sound proofing the lease does not specifically say you cannot lay the same".

No, it doesn't. But you will have to prove that it is not "reasonable" for the management company to reject "adequately soundproofed" laminate.

If you dislike carpet so much, why buy a flat with a lease which requires carpet?

dgtazzman

But the lease doesn't demand carpets, it just requires sufficient soundproofing, which can be achieved with laminate as long as the right underlay is used and it is all laid properly.

I'd be tempted to ignore the management company and just have laminate put down, using the correct underlay and done by a professional, I honestly don't see how you are breaking the term in the lease if you do this.

vw100

As phill99 says, there is a acoustic sound proof underlay available, it basically around 10mm thick - check with good hardware stores. Example being http://www.ncffurnishings.co.uk/underlay-board.html?gclid=CIi3h6fs6r8CFY_ItAodiisA0A

You can experiment by laying some of the boards down on the underlay and checking how bad the noise travels down, or ask your neighbour downstairs how it sounds??? this will give you a bit of a idea. Also try to get better flooring which will all help as well.

AdrianC

dgtazzman wrote: »

But the lease doesn't demand carpets, it just requires sufficient soundproofing, which can be achieved with laminate as long as the right underlay is used and it is all laid properly.

Read the lease clause.

The flat has to be carpeted OR the flooring has to be deemed adequate. The management company cannot be unreasonable in that, though.

They have already refused to deem the laminate the OP requested adequate. The OP now has to prove that they are not reasonable in that, and get them to agree, else he WILL be in breach by fitting the laminate.

The fact that others are also in breach doesn't affect that, apart from making it slightly easier to persuade the management that it's adequate. It does, however, risk the management thanking the OP for bringing it to their attention, and demanding everybody now complies - which will not endear the OP to his new neighbours one _bit_, no matter the outcome...

katejo

I used to have a first floor flat with carpet and I walked round with socks on but the leaseholder under me was very sensitive to noise and shouted at me when he heard the slightest sound. The person who bought from me has since had either a wood or laminate floor laid in the living room and seems to have got away with it. Perhaps ir is good quality laminate.

xylophone

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/3343989/Sshhh....html

might be worth a read.