FTB (that's already moved in!) Property Valuation Help!

synergy_3

Hi all!

Looking for some help and advice please!

We recently bought an apartment from Countryside properties (under the Homebuy shared ownership scheme). We moved in, and everything went well for us... Until...! Countryside erected a security gate that blocks access to our buildings intercom, meaning no one can buzz us to let us know when they arrive!

Countryside has told us that it was in the plans that they'd be putting the gate up, and blocking intercom access, and they're un-willing to change this! :mad:

Can anyone shed any valuation advice on whether or not this would effectively devalue our property when we come to sell in future?

Also, any hints tips or tricks on how to tackle Countryside and to get them to take some action would be greatly appreciated too!

Thanx
M

chriz1000

Can’t you simply approach them and ask for the buzzer to be moved? It would certainly put me off if people couldn’t ring my door bell. What happens when someone needs to get hold of you and doesn’t have your phonenumber. I.E a delivery person. I’m quite surprised they are allowed to do this. If I was you I I would get in contact with my solicitor.
Temporarily I would buy a cheap £15 pay as you go phone and leave it in your house at all times. Put a sign on the window explaining the situation and asking people to ring that number to get through to the property.

mrs_deadline

Can you wedge the gate open somehow when you're expecting visitors?

maninthestreet

What's the point of the buzzer, if people who need to use it i.e visitors can't get to it?

synergy_3

We've approached Countryside about moving it, and they've point blank refused!!! They said it's now been handed over to the estate management firm, and it's not their problem now! The estate management company have said they'd move it, but they will charge, as the property was handed over to them this way.

We're having loads of problems with friends, family, delivery companies, taxis, etc... accessing our property, and to make matters worse, the address sign is on the inside of the gates too!!!

I can't believe they've designed it this way, and they're admitting it was purposely designed like this, which I find even more bizarre!

The gates are mechanical, so can't be wedged open unfortunately.

Might be time to contact a solicitor...

Thanks for the responses so far everyone! :T

PasturesNew

Get a wireless doorbell in the meantime. £5.

teabelly

Is there anywhere you could stick your own wireless bell so there is something for someone to ring? Some of them have their own batteries so wouldn't need to be wired up to anything. You'd have to check on the batteries and change them every so often but that would be about it.

A group of you needs to tackle the estate management company and insist they put it right. Local paper or watchdog might be interested as what they have done shows so little commonsense!

Could you show that the new arrangements discriminate against disabled visitors? If the intercom is out of reach for a disabled person then they could fall foul of disability access requirements. It might also be worth contacting the local council and see whether these gates breach planning regs or go against something else in the plans.