Internal Modification to Leasehold Flat

Speedbird676

I have seen a flat I'm interested in purchasing. However, I'd only be interested in purchasing if I were able to change the internal layout by removing a wall to be able to reconfigure the kitchen to something that meets my needs.

I believe the obstacles to doing that would be:

1. Confirm whether the wall is structural/load-bearing and that it can actually be removed
2. Confirm whether removing said wall requires approval from the freeholder and if it does that the freeholder would agree

How would one go about doing that for a property prior to making an offer? Or does this sit in the too hard basket and I should just move on?

macman

1) you'd need a builder or surveyor to confirm if it's load-bearing.
2) you'd need to look at the lease, but it's unthinkable that structural work would be allowed without the freeholder's permission.
Obviously, if it's just a partition wall then this is much less likely to be an obstacle.

user1977

Or the lazy/sensible option is to see what other people have done with similar flats, assuming it isn't one-of-a-kind.

Tiglet2

Just to warn you - if you are intending to sell in the future, your buyer's solicitors will compare the layout of the flat on the lease plan with the sales particulars.  Obviously if the freeholder has given consent to the alteration then that will satisfy any enquiries made in this regard, but if you go ahead and alter the flat without consent or with a partition wall, the solicitor may raise a lot of enquiries and the buyers may be put off by this, as it is likely to cause delays.

hazyjo

What size block is it? If several storeys, it'll likely be a no. (Unless it's just a partition wall.) If it's ex-LA, they often just give a blanket no to all types of wall.

Speedbird676

Tiglet2 said:

Just to warn you - if you are intending to sell in the future, your buyer's solicitors will compare the layout of the flat on the lease plan with the sales particulars.  Obviously if the freeholder has given consent to the alteration then that will satisfy any enquiries made in this regard, but if you go ahead and alter the flat without consent or with a partition wall, the solicitor may raise a lot of enquiries and the buyers may be put off by this, as it is likely to cause delays.

Not planning to do anything without consent.

My query is really about how much certainty I can get that the work would be possible before purchasing, as I wouldn't want to purchase if reconfiguration isn't possible. The kitchen is unsuitable for me in it's current state and I can't visualise a way to make it usable without removing the wall.

Speedbird676

hazyjo said:

What size block is it? If several storeys, it'll likely be a no. (Unless it's just a partition wall.) If it's ex-LA, they often just give a blanket no to all types of wall.

Not ex-LA, it is a 1920s warehouse building converted to flats in 2001.

The flat is ground floor of five storeys.

user1977

Speedbird676 said:

hazyjo said:

What size block is it? If several storeys, it'll likely be a no. (Unless it's just a partition wall.) If it's ex-LA, they often just give a blanket no to all types of wall.

Not ex-LA, it is a 1920s warehouse building converted to flats in 2001.

The flat is ground floor of five storeys.

Drawings might be readily available from planning or building control which will give you some idea of what might be structural etc.

Section62

macman said:

1) you'd need a builder or surveyor to confirm if it's load-bearing.

A 1920's warehouse converted into flats over five storeys needs a structural engineer to advise on the feasibility of modifications to a possible structural element.  There;s a good chance the structure is complex.

It may also need some input from a professional competent to assess fire safety issues - the wall may be there to help control of smoke and fire from the kitchen either for evacuation purposes, or to help protect structural elements.

Speedbird676

user1977 said:

Speedbird676 said:

hazyjo said:

What size block is it? If several storeys, it'll likely be a no. (Unless it's just a partition wall.) If it's ex-LA, they often just give a blanket no to all types of wall.

Not ex-LA, it is a 1920s warehouse building converted to flats in 2001.

The flat is ground floor of five storeys.

Drawings might be readily available from planning or building control which will give you some idea of what might be structural etc.

Thanks for that suggestion, I hadn't thought of that.

The first listing when I searched on the postcode, admittedly for a different flat, is "Removal of ground floor partition walls, creating open plan ground floor" which gives me some hope!

Section62

Speedbird676 said:

Tiglet2 said:

Just to warn you - if you are intending to sell in the future, your buyer's solicitors will compare the layout of the flat on the lease plan with the sales particulars.  Obviously if the freeholder has given consent to the alteration then that will satisfy any enquiries made in this regard, but if you go ahead and alter the flat without consent or with a partition wall, the solicitor may raise a lot of enquiries and the buyers may be put off by this, as it is likely to cause delays.

Not planning to do anything without consent.

My query is really about how much certainty I can get that the work would be possible before purchasing, as I wouldn't want to purchase if reconfiguration isn't possible. The kitchen is unsuitable for me in it's current state and I can't visualise a way to make it usable without removing the wall.

Without having freeholder consent already you won't know for sure you will get consent once you've completed the purchase.

I would be very surprised if the freeholder gave consent without having a structural engineer's report (and an assesment of fire/smoke issues) in their hands first.

If the freeholder is sufficiently relaxed that they would give consent without professional input, you would probably want to rethink buying and living there. It could be a deathtrap.