Freeholder Responsibilities

ArthurSM

Dear MSE,

First post, so apologies if this is in the wrong place.

I own a flat in a block which I rent out. Currently, I am having an issue with homeless people keep accessing the block and sleeping in the internal stairwells which is right outside the front door the flat and subsequently making my tenant very concerned and also leaving a significant amount of mess each time.

The block of flats is part of three blocks which are all linked and each block is managed by different agents. Each agents keep passing responsibility and blaming each other for it. Each floor links to each other, would there be any reason why these doors could not be secured using fire door magnetic locks?

What are the freeholders responsibilities to sort this? I have had the classic well its going to cost so..... and thats that.

Thanks

davidmcn

Sounds an odd set-up - different managing agents because they have different freeholders? I doubt they have any obligation to upgrade the security - though they probably have the power to do so - would other leaseholders be happy to stump up the cost? Maybe get some onside.

ArthurSM

Same freeholder as far as I am aware. But blocks are linked by a door on each floor which has no security.

So people can get in the front door of the block on one end and walk all the way through to the block they couldn't get into.

G_M

Freeholder could add security. Cost would be passed to the leaseholders.


Unless their leases required it, they could refuse.


alternative would be for the leaseholders to take over the management (RTM) an then decide for themselves what extra security they wanted, if any. See


https://www.lease-advice.org/topics/?topic=right-to-manage

eddddy

The problem for the freeholder would be that...

Leases don't generally allow freeholders to charge leaseholders for 'improvements', or for the repair/maintenance of those 'improvements'.

So if the doors are seen as improvements (rather than reasonable/ necessary changes), the freeholders cannot force current leaseholders to pay for their installation, or force future leaseholders to pay for their repair/ maintenance.

An RTM company would have the same problem.


Also, does the block currently have a fire alarm system that the magnetic door locks could be linked to?

Assuming it's a two-way fire escape route, if there is a "In case of fire, break glass to open door" system, would the trespassers just break the glass to gain access?