Visible wiring in common parts access- T objects

[Adboy1]

Hello

I need help! I manage a property that contains four units. I own one of the units. We have recently had a new intercom system fitted and one of the owners is not happy. Where we can we have hidden the intercom wires under the stairs, in the wall and floorboards etc. However there is a small area where you can see the wires. They are discretely placed but still exposed. We're planning on getting these chased into the walls and then made good. The lady who owns one of the flats does not want the intercom wires in the communal areas at all, even if they are chased into the wall and completely hidden. She is kicking up a massive stink and is now refusing to pay her yearly service charge and threatening to have the cables removed. The cables feed the top floor flats intercom system.

My understanding was that no one actually owns the communal areas and that the communal area walls carry all the workings for the entire building. So there will be wires in all the walls that feed different parts of the house and each flat.

Can anyone help me? I'm having real issues and it's starting to get very unpleasant. We manage the property ourselves and so I'm not a professional. Any help / advice gratefully welcomed.

Best wishes

Matt

[jeffrey]

Flats or commercial business units?

[leaseholdanswers]

Flats per the OP. "So there will be wires in all the walls that feed different parts of the house and each flat".

As long as the lease allows for the installation of this and the cost recovered in the service charge they have no grounds to object ( except that if one did not exist you need their permission to install the handset within their flat if the lease does not allow entry to effect such works)

Did you consult on the costs? Its required if a rented system if any flat pays £100 or more, or if bought that any one flats pays £250.

If the leases grant no rights to the leaseholders to the common areas other than use, they have no say, although its best to chase them in when the job started.

If they persist then LEASE mediation might be the best idea to resolve it.
In small houses people do like to think that they "own" the common areas and its best to discuss first rather more than say in a larger block.