Pet consent

[Nat1178]

Hi, I don’t know why but my previous post was unapproved. SO let me repost this topic.

I just exchanged the contact for a leasehold property. The freeholder’s agent is {Name removed}.


My lease requires freeholder’s consent for keeping a pet. I have a cat and need consent before my moving date which is early January. But when I emailed to their consent team, I got an automatic reply saying that they will try to respond within 15 working days for further instruction and information! It seems unreasonably slow for just sending me further instructions.

Is there anyone who has experience in dealing with pet consent with {the agent}? How long did it take? Do you know any way to speed things up? Any advice would be appreciated!

[theartfullodger]

You do realise they can simply refuse consent?? And if you breach lease (by keeping cat..) might start forfeit process ??

In your shoes I'd delay progress until I get or don;t get consent.

Are you able to contact (covid..) other people on same freehold and see their experience & if they have cat??

[Section20z]

Just ignore it and move in, an agent that can't manage to respond is unlikely to be able to take any action against you.
And unless your cat is one that murders birds and craps in the communal gardens then nobody is likely to complain and the MA will never know.
Most freeholders have bigger concerns

[Nat1178]

Thanks for your reply but please answer to my question. My question is about how your experience was re pet consent with {the agent}. I altered some details in this topic to make the question simpler. So please ignore the possibility of refusal.

[Nat1178]

Section20z,

Thank you for your reply. Not obtaining consent is also not an option for me. I would like to gain consent as soon as possible but I have heard a lot of bad reviews about {the agent}. I just want to know what they are really like when it comes to consent matter.

[scot22]

I have no experience with {the agent} so stop reading of you want.
It is unfortunate you've exchanged contracts. People in my experience have as I before exchanging. Artful, as usual, is spot on. If you can delay without risking deposit, do so as much as possible. That might motivate vendor.
In my traditional view, which you share, you should not break the lease. Can you make alternative arrangements for your cat for a few weeks ? They are quite resilient.
Statically unlikely to get someone with experience of [the agent]. Good luck.

[AndrewDod]

What makes you think you will get consent? It is highly abusive to neighbours to have assumed that -- and a terrible start. Landlord may be bound to sue you to obey the covenants, and if you are living in a building where the FH ignores the lease it was a terrible buy.

Why did you buy the property exactly?

[Nat1178]

If you have experience in gaining pet consent or even refusal from managing companies, please share them. Our lease says the leaseholders need permission from FH for keeping pets and I am trying to abide by the rule. The reason for buy and whether pets are abusive are irrelevant to this topic.

[Nat1178]

scot22,

Thank you for your help. I realized that I should have gained consent before exchange. If we can postpone our deposit it would be an option. As you said it seems it is highly unlikely to get information I want in this forum... anyway much appreciate your comment.

[theartfullodger]

If I play loud music at 3am and thus abuse neighbours it is I that am abusive, not the hi-fi. I'm sure your cats are not abusive but ignoring terms of a lease is not likely to be received happily by your neighbours.

Good luck hope it works

What does your solicitor say upon the matter, please?

PS. If my wife pre-deceases me I'll be homeless, house in her sole name, lot of her assets left to cat charity. Entirely fine by me, I frequently support moggies via. charities.

[Nat1178]

Please please read my question! I am not saying I want to break the lease! Not to break the rule, I want to gain consent and the question is what was your experience with managing companies in pet consent!

i am new to this forum, but it seem this is not for me. Thank you guys. This topic should be closed.

[AndrewDod]

The lease does not say they have to provide consent (and they might not even be able to depending how the lease is worded and if even a single other lessee objects). You don't understand how leasehold properties work (both in terms of respect, and their structure). You want to get the answers you want to get -- and when you don't get that you throw a hissy fit. We read your question perfectly well, it is a common question, and the folk on here weren't born yesterday. Some of us have seen tens of thousands of £ go down the drain in tribunal processes involving the very sorts of things you are asking about.

If you want advice as to whether you can get away with it, that's a different matter.

[Section20z]

Nat1178,

You have now posed a totally different question from about a specific company (against forum rules) to a general consent question.
I can assure you in 35 years I have never had a lessee request consent for a pet and I have never ever heard of legal action being taken in respect of a non consented pet.

[AndrewDod]

I certainly have. One property has a managing order in place as a result (in very large part as initiating problem) of a pet. It cost every lessee around £30K. And in another the FH started forfeiture procedures after a complaint was received about a pet.

A simple search of judgements shows lots of cases - here for example https://decisions.lease-advice.org//...1-1000/840.pdf
In every case the Tribunal simply sticks to what is in the lease, and determines that there is a breach.

[Gordon999]

Nat1178,

If you visit the website ( www.lease-advice.org ) and search for the company under " Tribunal Decisions" you should find many cases to study.