Management fees/rules in new estates

DaveyDave

Just got the long list of rules set out by the management company for a new house I'm hoping to purchase. I seem to get mixed results on this, some saying the costs skyrocketed, had to pay for parking etc others say it's grand.

Anyone living in a new estate any experience with this? The rules make it sound like it's a rented apartment with some nosy landlord. No washing line outside, no sky dish, no external devices such as CCTV, no signs/numbers on the door. No singing or musical instruments that would make noise. People can come in without notice if needed (meaning someone else has keys to the house?).

I understand having to keep the grass cut and windows clean, I'm having a hard time understanding the rest. I figured there was management fees to cover grass cutting and bins until the estate is handed over to the council but it's possible this won't happen.

Am I overthinking this?

blindside88

Some of that seems quite unreasonable, no washing line outside or sky dish allowed? I’d be saying F that, it’s your house you can do what you like, However if you agree to it when buying you don’t have much wiggle room. Personally I’d be looking elsewhere

Credit Checker Moose

I wouldn't be comfortable with the management company having keys to your house.

DaveyDave

Credit Checker Moose wrote: »

I wouldn't be comfortable with the management company having keys to your house.

It may not be the case, they just say they may need access to your home without notice to do work/repairs.

tomister

When I got my contracts I got a list of covenants in the deed of transfer, fairly standard but one was no satellite dish. Queried it with my solicitor who said it was standard but that sky dish etc would be fine. For most estates there's a management company until the estate is completed and taken over by the county or city council.
I would however query your list OP as the list is excessive. I would not be comfortable with the management company having keys and after paying for a house you should be able to do what you want (while respecting your neighbours)

Marcusm

Is this really a house or is it an apartment or duplex?

DaveyDave

tomister wrote: »

When I got my contracts I got a list of covenants in the deed of transfer, fairly standard but one was no satellite dish. Queried it with my solicitor who said it was standard but that sky dish etc would be fine. For most estates there's a management company until the estate is completed and taken over by the county or city council.
I would however query your list OP as the list is excessive. I would not be comfortable with the management company having keys and after paying for a house you should be able to do what you want (while respecting your neighbours)

From what I've read some estates keep the management company, don't know if they're handed off to the council too. If it was handed over I suppose there's nothing stopping these rules from being in place unless the members of management decide to get rid of them. If you're not allowed have a washing line then I'd say no trampolines while you're at it or now dodgy car parked outside...

Marcusm wrote: »

Is this really a house or is it an apartment or duplex?

It's a house. There's some apartments in the estate, which is why part of me thinks the list of rules is so long and ridiculous, especially with the rule about people entering your property for necessary emergency work. It all screams apartment to me, but they specify houses. Keep your grass cut, wash your windows etc...

wheresthebeef

DaveyDave wrote: »

Just got the long list of rules set out by the management company for a new house I'm hoping to purchase. I seem to get mixed results on this, some saying the costs skyrocketed, had to pay for parking etc others say it's grand.

Anyone living in a new estate any experience with this? The rules make it sound like it's a rented apartment with some nosy landlord. No washing line outside, no sky dish, no external devices such as CCTV, no signs/numbers on the door. No singing or musical instruments that would make noise. People can come in without notice if needed (meaning someone else has keys to the house?).

I understand having to keep the grass cut and windows clean, I'm having a hard time understanding the rest. I figured there was management fees to cover grass cutting and bins until the estate is handed over to the council but it's possible this won't happen.

Am I overthinking this?

Does your builders company name start with a C, by any chance?

DaveyDave

wheresthebeef wrote: »

Does your builders company name start with a C, by any chance?

Yes...

Caranica

Satellite dish is often a clause of planning permission, it was in ours.

Credit Checker Moose

A good solicitor would get rid of most of the ridiculous rules.

antimatterx

My parents bought a house in 2006 that is run by a management company. The "rules" state that you can't alter the front of your house. That was fine for the first few years, until wear and tear started to set in.

My parents painted their front door and received a letter telling them to change it back by a certain date, they didn't and nothing happened. My parents painted the house and changed the front garden completely. Out neighbors reported us, but nothing happened as it's are house and the MC weren't maintaining the estate to a high enough standard that didn't require homeowner intervention.

wheresthebeef

DaveyDave wrote: »

Yes...

We bought a house in early December with very similar rules. The access requirement is only to allow them access to garden etc... for drainage/water mains etc... Fairly standard. They cannot and dont want to actually enter your house.

Satellite dishes, gardens, signs etc... is allegedly for the benefit of all to ensure a bad egg cant devalue the estate by making it look like ****. If our builder is also your builder, your house will come with the number on engraved on the front of house anyway. You can have satellite dishes on side or back.

You can put a washing line in your garden, just cant hang washing out the front of the house.

The "rules" are more about discouraging any chancers that restricting folks.

Either way, the rules are the Management company rules. Once you get your house, the Management company gets signed over to the owners. Ye can amend any rules that are too OTT at an AGM.

ddub11

I suspect you got a generic list of rules covering all building ,(Houses ,apartments duplex).

With regards to access that,s just for issues that may affect other connected buildings and is mainly for apartment blocks.

For example i have a top floor apartment with an attic above which has a water tank that supplies the block so if there was an issue with water they may need to get into my apartment to gain access to the apartment.However they can in no way enter ny apartment without my consent.

If you have bought the house i cant in anyway see how anybody including management company can have a set of keys,i suspect you got this wrong but if it is indeed the case i would talk to who you are buying the house from and fing out why they have a set of keys.

There is noway a management company can have a set of keys (never),and at the end of the day you can change the locks the day ye move so it would be pointless for them to have a set,again i suspect you got that part of information wrong.

With regards to the other stuff thats all pretty standard and trust me its a good thing.Its all about keeping the estate looking clean,the last thing ye want to see on the front of buildings is a line of sat dishes and cloths drying in the front garden.

I have sat tv and like most places there is/or will be a communal sat dish where all house an apartments are connected when requested and it works fine and beatd the **** out of having lots of dishes stuck to the wall,also there would be an issue with structure damage so they cover their arse by telling people not to hang things on the wall like sat dish.

ddub11

While im here,

Anybody know the situation regarding transferring the running of an estate from the management co to the local council?

Iv a pain in my ......paying fees and would love to see the council take over the running but not sure of the procedure for transferring the running of the estate.

Caranica

ddub11 wrote: »

While im here,

Anybody know the situation regarding transferring the running of an estate from the management co to the local council?

Iv a pain in my ......paying fees and would love to see the council take over the running but not sure of the procedure for transferring the running of the estate.

Don't get your hopes up. Councils are increasingly reluctant to take estates in charge and even if they do they generally won't take on things like landscaping so you'll still face some fees.