Covenants on new home purchase

Phillb87

Hi all,
I am currently in the process of buying my first property with my partner but the house we are purchasing comes with covenants from when it was built as a council house, the covenants are:
1. Not to be a nuisance to your neighbours (easy to follow)
2. I am not allowed to run a business or even be registered as self employed at my property.
3. I must get written permission from Portsmouth council before making alterations to my house such as changing the kitchen.

My question is where the covenants were written 46 years ago and it is now a private building I know the covenants move with the sale of the property but can I talk to the council to get these removed? It is not a listed building neither is it in an area of natural outstanding beauty etc any advice would be much welcome.!
Thank you,
Phill

theoretica

I have breached one of the covenants on my property: I planted some fruit and vegetables in the front garden! It was supposed to be decorative only... No-one has complained, or dare I say, noticed.


What does your solicitor say?

Phillb87

They say that if I do not approach the council for a year I can take out covenant indemnity insurance but looking into this it only partially covers court costs if someone really wants to persue me rather than immunity from it but my thoughts are if I ran a business from my property the council will never know as it's private property and none of my business would be conducted at my house anyway. Also no one can see inside my property and it most defiantly isn't the original kitchen. The previous owners had covenant indemnity insurance but they had built an extension on the property which is now well over 10 years old so it's now a permitted build so I'm not worried about that but if I approach the council for permission to do something and they say no I can't take the insurance out as it looks like I am trying to buy it to over ride the council's decision. One last thing to point out is that the covenant indemnity insurance as I understand it looks back not forwards to you would have to breach it then buy the policy rather than buy it as protection. Hope this helps.