Exterior Apartment Wall

All Around You

I'm not planning any legal action in regard to this, but I figured this section would have the most informed users.

I moved into an apartment a few months ago. My downstairs neighbour just last week installed a satellite dish on the wall outside. I know it's definitely against the 'house rules', but I don't mind it in principle so I've decided not to mention it to the management company. What I do mind is that the whole dish sits above the level of my balcony. It's basically beside the balcony and close enough to my bedroom window for me to touch it. It's above their 'property line'.

What I'm wondering is, how communal are outside walls in apartment blocks? Do I actually own any of that wall (I own the apartment). Am I going to sound mad asking them to lower it? I've no idea of the etiquette involved.

Thanks.

listermint

All Around You wrote: »

I'm not planning any legal action in regard to this, but I figured this section would have the most informed users.

I moved into an apartment a few months ago. My downstairs neighbour just last week installed a satellite dish on the wall outside. I know it's definitely against the 'house rules', but I don't mind it in principle so I've decided not to mention it to the management company. What I do mind is that the whole dish sits above the level of my balcony. It's basically beside the balcony and close enough to my bedroom window for me to touch it. It's above their 'property line'.

What I'm wondering is, how communal are outside walls in apartment blocks? Do I actually own any of that wall (I own the apartment). Am I going to sound mad asking them to lower it? I've no idea of the etiquette involved.

Thanks.

Just ask them straight. Look I don't mind the dish but it's too high can you move it down. If they say no go to management company the power is on your side tbh

garhjw

OP, if it position bothers you ask for it to be moved, not removed. You're not being unreasonable

Paulw

The management company own the external walls. You have no ownership of them. You "own" the interior (you actually only have a long lease on it, usually specified in your Lease Contract when you bought). All the exterior belongs to the management company.

If you object to the dish, call your management agent and let them know. Ask them to enforce the Lease Contract, which usually has a clause forbidding satellite dishes.

Denny_Crane

The communal areas are owned by the OMC. In fact you won't even own the apartment - you'll have a long leasehold on it, but that's a different issue.

There's no excuse if it's a Sky dish as Sky will install communal dishes if asked by the OMC.

jimmycrackcorm

When my in-laws bought their apartment at the height of the boom, they used a solicitor friend who said to me: they're paying a huge amount of money to just own the air between the four external walls.