Apartment Purchase

j4mieg

Hi, I wasn’t too sure who was best to ask about this but anyway;

I purchased a 2 bedroom apartment off-plan around 12 months ago and now it is part-completed as I am doing my own interior work in the flat. However, the developers have put a god awful eye-sore of a fire door on each apartment. I have asked the estate agent if I am able to change it to a more appealing door or to put a wood veneer over the top and they have ‘passed my details on to the developers’ but have heard nothing.

I have looked over the contract and see no provision regarding changing interior design as long as it is to a good standard. Surely as I have bought the property outright I am entitled to change what I want within my boundaries? I am spending a lot of money on the interior and don’t want the exterior to ruin it.

Any help is appreciated as the developers don’t seem to..

davidmcn

Which door are you talking about? The front door to your flat? I doubt they'll let you change that - they'll want a consistent look and something they know complies with fire safety. What does your lease say about alterations?

j4mieg

Yes I mean my front door, I am happy for it still to be a fire door but not the current one they have put in. The lease only mentions not to change the exterior of the building or communal areas but surely my door is within my boundaries?

Cakeguts

j4mieg wrote: »

Hi, I wasn’t too sure who was best to ask about this but anyway;

I purchased a 2 bedroom apartment off-plan around 12 months ago and now it is part-completed as I am doing my own interior work in the flat. However, the developers have put a god awful eye-sore of a fire door on each apartment. I have asked the estate agent if I am able to change it to a more appealing door or to put a wood veneer over the top and they have ‘passed my details on to the developers’ but have heard nothing.

I have looked over the contract and see no provision regarding changing interior design as long as it is to a good standard. Surely as I have bought the property outright I am entitled to change what I want within my boundaries? I am spending a lot of money on the interior and don’t want the exterior to ruin it.

Any help is appreciated as the developers don’t seem to..

You don't seem to understand what leasehold is. You haven't bought the property what you have bought is the lease of the property. Leasehold is a rental but instead of paying the rent by installments every month you pay it all upfront in one go. You don't own any part of the building that belongs to the freeholder.

AdrianC

j4mieg wrote: »

Yes I mean my front door, I am happy for it still to be a fire door but not the current one they have put in. The lease only mentions not to change the exterior of the building or communal areas but surely my door is within my boundaries?

The front door is more part of the "common area" as it is your area - because it's part of the fabric of the building as far as fire regs etc go. Remember, what you own is everything on the INSIDE of your external walls, plus a right to use the external boundaries of it. Those walls/external boundaries includes all closures - doors, windows.

There's nothing to stop you painting the inside of the door, but not changing it.

davidmcn

j4mieg wrote: »

Yes I mean my front door, I am happy for it still to be a fire door but not the current one they have put in. The lease only mentions not to change the exterior of the building or communal areas

Are you sure that's all it says? There are usually other restrictions on what you can do within your demise.

but surely my door is within my boundaries?

You've got the lease, you tell us. Does your demise include the front door (including the outer face of it)?

If you're having trouble interpreting the lease, ask your solicitor.

j4mieg

Actually the property was sold with a share of the freehold so each of the 9 apartments has a share...

sal_III

j4mieg wrote: »

Actually the property was sold with a share of the freehold so each of the 9 apartments has a share...

Doesn't change the fact that the external portion of your flat front door is almost guaranteed to be outside of your lease demise.

Theoretically if you can get the Free holder permission by getting the required majority of shareholders to vote for it, you should be able to change the front door.

eddddy

The lease should explain everything.

The front door probably belongs to you, but the lease might say that you need consent for alterations.

Replacing a like-for-like door wouldn't be an alteration, but replacing it with a different style of door might be considered an alteration.

Also...

I want to change my flat entrance door

Replacement of flat entrance doors are categorised as controlled work under the Building Regulations 2000.
This means that anyone who wishes to change their flat entrance door (or any other door between their flat and a communal area i.e. a secondary means of escape door), will need to obtain permission from the building control department on the local council in addition to seeking [the landlords] consent and ensuring the new door, meets current standards.

https://arma.org.uk/assets/front/files/Firesafetyandyourlegaldutyasaleaseholder.pdf

Edit to add...

A bit more info:
https://www.lease-advice.org/faq/i-own-the-front-door-to-my-flat-and-want-to-replace-it-what-do-i-do/

pinkpiglit

I live in an apartment block, and like the others have said, I can change the inside of the door to my flat. In fact I could paint the interior in rainbow colours if I felt so inclined.

However the door itself cannot be changed, neither can I paint or cover the outside of the door in any way. The only thing I have been permitted to do, is add additional locks.