Sell the flat or kill the cat?

Doozergirl

You can't change your neighbours unfortunately, so you can't stop the whining, but you have lots and lots of rights as a leaseholder. What stands out most of all with freeholders and their responsibilities is that everything must be 'reasonable' and I am sure that anyon would say that it isn't reasonable to restrict you from owning a cat.

I'd wait for the legal documents to drop through the door before you lose any more sleep. The fact is that no solicitor is going to tell them that they are being fair in their demands. Whoever heard of a cat making a "huge amount of noise day and night"

It isn't their flat, no matter how much they'd like to think themselves the lord of the manner. You know they have no life anyway People like this really annoy me. WHY LIVE IN A FLAT IF YOU HATE PEOPLE, YOU MORONS?

eco-friendly_2

You could, sling a mouse through their letterbox!

alan99_2

lauraschild wrote: »

Does anyone know anything about Lease agreements for Leasehold properties?

I own a first floor flat in a house where the freeholders own the ground floor flat. So I pay ground rent and maintenance to my lovely neighbours below me who have complained about me since the day I moved in even though I lead the quietest life imaginable - just work, telly, sleep, work, telly, sleep etc. Their latest thing is to point out a clause in the Lease document that says I have to ask their permission to own a cat. I have a cat. Neither of us knew this was in the lease document previously. I just presumed my solicitor had checked the Lease document thoroughly and would have informed me of any wierd clauses like that. My neighbours have already complained about the "huge amount of noise the cat makes both day and night" so I doubt very much that they will agree to this and even if they do the Lease says they can "withdraw permission at any time". There are also other clauses iin the Lease which are now worrying me such as me having to get their approval on colour schemes when I decorate, having to clean my windows regularly etc.

I would really like to know is how much my neighbours - the freeholders to the building - can enforce the terms of the Lease document. Can they really force me to get rid of my cat? This is all giving me sleepless nights.

Suggest you swap the nice little cat for a (juvenile) pet tiger . That will teach your neighbours. He (better make it a she tiger , you dont want anything too aggresive !) will really make a noise. Tell them there is nothing in the lease about keeping a BIG cat.:D

Good luck ,hope it works out okay for you and Tabby.

Ps the freeholder downstairs will presumably also have a lease which could be the same as yours. Are they doing absolutely everything by the book or is there something you can pull them up on. Maybe do a deal, leave the cat alone and they can have some flexibility.

TTMCMschine

Are they asking you to remove the cat because it is noisy, or because you are breaking the clause about having pets? The reason i ask is if you could be seen to be making some improvements for your noisy cat. Then surely once noise complaint sorted out - they can't ask you to remove your cat?

Have you asked them to specify what the noise is that your cat does? cat Parties? Hi-fi too loud?

beingjdc

Do what my vindictive genius of an auntie did when her interfering racist old neighbour finally drove her over the edge, and sell up below market value to a large Arab family...

andyrules

TTMCMschine wrote: »

Have you asked them to specify what the noise is that your cat does? cat Parties? Hi-fi too loud?

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

sunshine_shell

beingjdc wrote: »

Do what my vindictive genius of an auntie did when her interfering racist old neighbour finally drove her over the edge, and sell up below market value to a large Arab family...

Genius!!!!! I'm gonna be laughing at that while i hang my washing out

Have you checked the lease to see if there is something they should be doing and aren't?? personally i'd sell up! I have a small pony i could lend you... now she makes loads of noise and smell!!

owitemisermusa

lauraschild wrote: »

There are also other clauses iin the Lease which are now worrying me such as me having to get their approval on colour schemes when I decorate, having to clean my windows regularly etc.

quote]


Pardon me, but how on earth can you own a flat and still need permission to decorate to your taste? That doesn't sound right at all!

Surely, there is something wrong here. It must feel as if you're renting the place.

Next thing they'll say is they have to vet when and to whom you sell.

Get legal advice.

beingjdc

The flat I owned was the same. Decorating was allowed, but there were all sorts of clauses. No pets was one, no renting out was another. It was very much like a tenancy agreement (but then in a legal sense a lease is very much like a long tenancy agreement!)

clutton_2

there are some really weird things in leases -

one of my properties leases does not allow me to sell wet fish from it !!

another does not allow me to slaughter cattle in it !!!

Shucks - these were going to be my next business ventures !!

seriously - even if this got to court, some of these old clauses are deemed as "unreasonable" and unenforceable in the 22nd century.

But, i would move - as soon as i could - your life will never be peaceful with this petty minded control freak living so close to you