Restrictive covenant query re satellite dish

JCP76

Hi, We have recently moved in to a bungalow that has the following restrictive covenant:
—-
Not to install, maintain or keep any satellite or other aerial or telecommunications receptacle on the elevation facing the front of the Property facing the adjacent highway and not to otherwise do so unless in accordance with the approval, (if needed) requirements (if any) of the relevant Authorities.

—-
On face value, I take that to mean we cannot install a sky dish on the front of the house, but we could probably do so on the side of the property. 

However, I was wondering if the bit in bold is actually a ‘get-out’. As you don’t need permission from a local authority for a sky dish, surely this bolded text means we can go ahead ?
I’m wondering if this is actually intended to stop the installation of those massive satellite dishes?

Any advice appreciated. 

ratechaser

Looks clear enough to me, it's a prohibition on a dish on a wall facing the road, but ok elsewhere provided any required permission from the authorities has been obtained. 

If no such permission is required in your area, then you can go right ahead and install a dish on one of the walls not facing the road.

user1977

It means:
(a) you can't put any of these things on the front of the property 
(b) you can put them elsewhere, as long as you comply with any statutory requirements

So if you don't need planning permission to put the dish you're proposing e.g. on a side wall, then the covenant is irrelevant.

edgex

'relevant Authorities' doesn't just mean Local Authority.
Are you on a managed estate that has planning restrictions?

AnotherJoe

JCP76 said:

Hi, We have recently moved in to a bungalow that has the following restrictive covenant:
—-
Not to install, maintain or keep any satellite or other aerial or telecommunications receptacle on the elevation facing the front of the Property facing the adjacent highway and not to otherwise do so unless in accordance with the approval, (if needed) requirements (if any) of the relevant Authorities.

—-
On face value, I take that to mean we cannot install a sky dish on the front of the house, but we could probably do so on the side of the property. 

However, I was wondering if the bit in bold is actually a ‘get-out’. As you don’t need permission from a local authority for a sky dish, surely this bolded text means we can go ahead ?
I’m wondering if this is actually intended to stop the installation of those massive satellite dishes?

Any advice appreciated. 

Doesn't really matter since you have a get out anyway, put it right on the side of the house.

Thats where mine is, only a foot back from the front but pointing to the front (there's no covenant AFAIK ... which is another point unless you are one shiny new estate you'll likely find there's no one to try to enforce it anyway. Have you had  look at similar close properties?

Plus you could put it on a pole out front if you wanted.

Who the hell thinks up these ridiculous petty fogging rules?

Section62

JCP76 said:

As you don’t need permission from a local authority for a sky dish

Not strictly true, and partly why the covenant doesn't have the get-out effect you hope it has.

Provided all the criteria are met, a satellite dish can be installed as permitted development. But not all properties have permitted development rights. In some cases an application for planning consent would be needed for any kind of satellite dish or other antenna. PD rights can also vary over time.

So as others have said already, the effect of the covenant is to prevent installation of a satellite dish on the front of the property (in any circumstances) and anywhere else without the approval "of the relevant Authorities", which is not limited to the local planning authority.

The approval "of the relevant Authorities" might also be required if the rules changed in the future, or new ones were introduced.

iampetesmith

I'd have a look at which way the front of the property is facing, as Sky dishes all need to point the same way. So if any neighbours have a dish, see which way it faces then you can work out the best alternative wall to mount it on as yours will need to point the same way.

If the dish would normally be mounted on the front wall in order to point the same way, then an alternative would either be one of the side walls or on the back wall on a pole. You could also mount it on a shed or low down in the garden as long as it has a clear line of sight to the sky, then run the cable from it under the ground to the house as this is how some static caravans have theirs.

Keswick1uk

We need council permission for a sky dish, so check if your area has special status in anyway.

Plus estates have rules sometimes too. My parents estate rules say they can't keep chickens and a few other random things. 

teachfast

I understand the need for this covenant. They are really unsightly and are associated with low-cost housing. Can't you get cable there?

unforeseen

teachfast said:

I understand the need for this covenant. They are really unsightly and are associated with low-cost housing. Can't you get cable there?

Where did you get that attitude from?
Low cost housing doesn't come into it. According to you every house in my village with a dish must be low cost housing including the couple of £1m houses.
Cable is not, in a lot of cases, an option

JamoLew

teachfast said:

I understand the need for this covenant. They are really unsightly and are associated with low-cost housing. Can't you get cable there?

wow just wow - we have a Satellite Dish and have had since we moved here 15 years ago and trust me - we aren't low-cost

Plus Sky through cable wasn't available back then and has only become an option in the last 6 months