'House Rules'

dtrowlands

Hi guys!


Around 18 months ago, I got on to the property ladder at the age of 25! I bought a two bedroom flat in a block of 6. There are 3 blocks in total (18 flats).


When I was signing the papers etc, there was a sheet of paper entitled 'house rules'. It mentioned things such as parking issues, no loud music and NO PETS. There was nothing to sign regarding the house rules, it was simply a piece of paper which was included in the deeds etc.


My question is as follows.


If I got a pet, what can happen?


At the end of the day, I own my own home so I feel that I should be the person who decides who or what I have in my own home.


PLEASE NOTE: We all live in separate flats, we only share a hallway and entrance.


Thanks in advance!

Guest101

dtrowlands wrote: »

Hi guys!


Around 18 months ago, I got on to the property ladder at the age of 25! I bought a two bedroom flat in a block of 6. There are 3 blocks in total (18 flats).


When I was signing the papers etc, there was a sheet of paper entitled 'house rules'. It mentioned things such as parking issues, no loud music and NO PETS. There was nothing to sign regarding the house rules, it was simply a piece of paper which was included in the deeds etc.


My question is as follows.


If I got a pet, what can happen?


At the end of the day, I own my own home so I feel that I should be the person who decides who or what I have in my own home.


PLEASE NOTE: We all live in separate flats, we only share a hallway and entrance.


Thanks in advance!

You own a lease. You're a leaseholder, so you are subject to the conditions set in the lease.

This could mean that can enforce the conditions, ultimately forcing you to either get rid of your pet, or to repossess your home in the extreme.

It's not likely to happen, but worst case scenario.

There may be penalties attached for breaching it, which may cost you some reasonable amounts.

Check what your lease actually says.

davidmcn

Though bear in mind that nothing's likely to happen unless a neighbour takes such offence at your pet that they want to pursue legal action.

LEJC

OP...What type of pet are you thinking of..each comes with its own traits that may or may not appeal to your neighbours

dtrowlands

Thanks guys.


I cannot find anything in the lease/deeds at all - I have checked through with detail, but I found a letter from when I moved in. Again there was no signature box. I have shortened it to the point that I am on about.


'We attach a copy of house rules applicable to all units. These are based on the deeds and lease and are rigorously enforced.


Nuisance - No pets of any sort (except tanked fish) are allowed. Parties are not allowed. '

Like I say. There was none of these in the official deeds or lease documents. I received it after the sale had gone through and I had received my keys.


In regards to how people would take offence to a pet - Ii do have extremely moany neighbours. All elderly and have nothing better to do. Not that I have ever caused any problems but I can just tell they want something to moan at.

moneyistooshorttomention

What is the letterheading and signature on this document?

I'm rather taking it, from the way you've phrased it, that there isnt any official letterhead/signature??

My own personal opinion would be "If it wasnt mentioned prior to my purchasing the place - then it doesnt apply. I would have been told about anything like that that applied before (not AFTER) the event" and I would ignore it and act reasonably generally, but regard it as quite possibly legally suspect.

I'm now racking my brains to try and recall if there is a question on the legal questionnaire vendors fill in for their buyers to the effect of "Is there anything else it would be relevant for me to know?"

I presume owners of leasehold flats also do get these legal questionnaires from their vendors? Check yours to see...

marksoton

Whose this letter from, specifically?

eddddy

It doesn't sound like you've contractually agreed to anything - so there's probably no legal reason why you can't have a pet (subject to it not being a nuisance to your neighbours etc).

I guess it depends how much you care about annoying your neighbours by going against their wishes.

But even if the law is on your side, if it escalates into a dispute, you would have to declare it when you eventually sell. Buyers might be put off because it highlights that the neighbours are 'difficult'.

dtrowlands

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

What is the letterheading and signature on this document?

I'm rather taking it, from the way you've phrased it, that there isnt any official letterhead/signature??

My own personal opinion would be "If it wasnt mentioned prior to my purchasing the place - then it doesnt apply. I would have been told about anything like that that applied before (not AFTER) the event" and I would ignore it and act reasonably generally, but regard it as quite possibly legally suspect.

I'm now racking my brains to try and recall if there is a question on the legal questionnaire vendors fill in for their buyers to the effect of "Is there anything else it would be relevant for me to know?"

I presume owners of leasehold flats also do get these legal questionnaires from their vendors? Check yours to see...

The letter is headed ***** Court Maintenance Administration, the address.


It is not signed at the bottom.


We all input £25 a month into a bank account to cover any maintenance costs such as a new front door, hallway carpets etc. One of my neighbours is the maintenance administrator. It is basically whoever is the longest serving person to live there, nothing official.


Thanks for your help.

AnotherJoe

dtrowlands wrote: »

At the end of the day, I own my own home so I feel that I should be the person who decides who or what I have in my own home.

No you dont, you lease it. If the lease said you had to dress like a chicken when at home, you'd have to do that as well. Better check it.

On the upside the rules are there to protect all tenants. If someone decided to keep sheep in their flat and the noise and droppings disturbed you, you could make a fuss about it.

As said it depends what sort of pet. If its a budgie or a hamster, no ones gonna know anyway. A Shetland pony or a dog that howls, well how about thinking of the other tenants?

ps just read the other stuff about "based on the lease". But if the lease doesn't mention no pets, then unless the lease agreement mentions something about a gestapo committee deciding what can and cant be done, you can ignore this, someone made something up. Also, getting to details, what exactly determines what is is "a party"? Could you have 3 people round for a cake and candles? IF you had 10 people round and played team scrabble, would they call the police?

Perhaps you should wait until someone has a friend round, knock on the door, say it appears they are having a party and should leave :eek:

Looks like you've moved into an old peoples apartment by mistake

ReadingTim

Procedurally speaking, one or more of the other leaseholders would have to take their complaint to the freeholder, who in turn would need to enforce the conditions of the lease upon you.

There are plenty of other posts about the enforceability, even the legality of such no pets clauses, so I'm sure you can read up on the letter of the law. However, there's also the spirit of the law and the general sense of reason and toleration necessary for living in flats etc - I'm sure no-one minds gerbils, guinea pigs even a cat for a pet, in addition to the aforementioned tanked fish. An Alsation with separation anxiety and a loud bark on the other hand probably won't be so welcome....

Finally, while you might own your own home, so does everyone else who has a leasehold interest on the ground on which it sits. And one of your neighbours might like to get his own pet too. With a loud bark and separation anxiety. Or decide he has the right to have little drumming party with forty or so of his closest mates on a Sunday night. But that's fine because he owns his own home, and can decide what and who goes in it. Right...?!?

Thought not.