Under your lease, if you want to carry out any structural alterations or changes to the layout of your home, you first need to contact us to get our permission.
You need permission to do things such as:
• replace windows
• fit a new bathroom or shower room
• change the use of a room
• install new doorways or a conservatory
• build an extension or convert a loft
• remove an internal wall.
In addition to getting our permission, you may also need to get building control approval and planning permission from Barnet Council.
If you do work without getting our permission, you would be breaking the conditions of your lease and may have to put the property back to how it was before you did the work.
We cannot process an application for our permission if you have service charge arrears. Contact us to discuss payment options.
Please note that you must solely own the space you want to alter or use, such as loft areas or gardens. Check the plans in your lease or ask your solicitor for advice.
In some circumstances the council will agree to sell you the loft area above your home or a piece of land next to your home.
What you need to do
If you are thinking about carrying out alterations at your property, contact us for an application form. We charge a standard fee to cover the administrative and surveying costs.
We will carry out initial checks and then pass your application to a surveyor who will arrange to visit your home. The surveyor will report back to us as soon as he has made a decision about your application.
If we are happy for you to continue, we will send you the terms and conditions you must keep to. In some cases you may need a licence for alterations, prepared by Barnet Council.
Once you have paid the fee for the licence, we will ask for the licence to be issued, so allowing you to carry out the work. You should not carry out any work until you have the licence or other written conditions.
Once the work is finished, you should contact us to arrange for us to inspect the property again. If the surveyor is happy with the work, they will confirm this to us and we will ask Barnet Council to send you formal permission in writing.
You will have to pay legal fees for each document you need. In some cases, you may also need a Deed of Variation.