Croydon has a lot of flats, from converted Victorian villas in South Croydon and Upper Norwood to newer blocks in the town centre. If yours is leasehold, you own the flat but not the building, and your lease sets out what you can change.
Start with the alterations clause
Most leases include a clause about alterations or improvements. It usually says one of three things:
- No alterations without the landlord’s written consent
- No structural alterations, but other changes are fine
- Alterations allowed with consent, which “shall not be unreasonably withheld”
If you can’t find or understand it, ask your managing agent or a solicitor. It’s a five-minute email that can save a lot of trouble later.
What usually needs consent
- Moving the toilet or anything else that changes the soil or waste pipes
- A wet room, because it changes the floor and the waterproofing over the flat below
- Hard flooring where the lease asks for carpet or sound insulation
- Cutting into joists or structural walls
- New extractor ducts through an outside wall, which is usually the freeholder’s
What usually doesn’t
- Replacing the suite like for like in the same positions
- Retiling walls
- A new shower over the bath or in the same enclosure
But check your own lease: some are stricter than this.
Consent and building regulations are different things
Asking for consent
- Write to the freeholder or managing agent before booking the work
- Describe what’s changing: the layout, the floor, the waterproofing and any pipework
- Expect questions about sound insulation and waterproofing if you’re changing the floor
- Some freeholders charge a fee or ask for a formal licence for alterations
- Keep the written consent: you’ll need it when you sell
Working above and beside neighbours
A bathroom renovation in a flat is noisier and messier for the people around you than in a house. A few things make it go smoothly:
- Tell your neighbours when work starts and how long the noisy days will last
- Check the building’s rules on working hours, lifts and protecting common areas
- Find out where the stopcock is, and whether water to other flats is affected when it’s off
- Plan how the old suite and rubble leave the building
Why the flat below matters most
A leak in a flat doesn’t stay in your flat. That’s why waterproofing matters even more: tanking under the shower area, sealed wastes and isolation valves on everything, so a future repair doesn’t mean turning off the water to the whole building.