Electric Unvented Cylinder/Boiler can they be banned in communal flats?

[z0b0]

Hiya,

Some 12 years ago I had a mega flow fitted to my flat before the landlord decided to ban them on grounds of they reduce the water prsssure to the block although in some circumstances they are allowed.

Mine is allowed because it was installed before the ban came into force. Sometime in the future I would like to upgrade it to a larger unit and I have been told that this would not be allowed and I would have to revert back to the original configuration, this officious attitude annoyed me.

I have checked my lease which essentially is a contract and there is no mention of this restriction, could I reasonable challenge the ban as the landlord has no legal grounds to enforce it?

Thank you in advance.

[AndrewDod]

It doesn't sound very nice does it. You are causing pain and harm to other flat residents (well at least they think you are) and all you can do is complain about an "officious attitude".

Say to yourself "I am a decent human being". Then behave like one.

[z0b0]

I am not causing any pain or harm and the management agents were fully consulted when the original item was installed and its installation approved by them. They also allow exceptions to the rule when the circumstances suits them.

So if some time in the future when cant I do a like for like replacement or upgrade and what grounds do they have is banning them anyway when its not written into the lease?

[AndrewDod]

Well a lease is not going to specifically mention mega-flow, or (satellite dishes, or cars, or TV aerials, or keeping pots of radioactive waste...) when these have not even been invented.

There is a general principle that in life one should behave decently.

Certainly I agree that if they have specifically signed a document to say that you can do something, it is hard to say that you have to remove that something like-for-like. An upgrade to a deluxe 2023 version (that sucks all the water out of the whole street) is a different matter.

What would happen if every flat installed the super duper upgraded mega-flow? Nothing bad? If you think so argue your case -- otherwise what right do you think you have to damage others. If your case is that it would be fine, then good, make the case and make it well -- but at the moment your stance smells of "I don't give a stuff about others no matter what".

Not all rights as decent humans are spelled out in a lease -- but when your upstairs neighbour decides to hold tap-dancing practice sessions at 3am bear in mind your stance.

The simple fact is that mega-flows draw water at high rate directly from the mains supply. That can be a problem. It might not be even if everyone installed one but that would depend on a massive flow rate from your supplier - which may not be the case.

[sgclacy]

There is in almost all leases a requirement for the lessee not to do anything that has an adverse effect on another

Therefore all you need to do is show that the equipment cannot and does not have any effect on your neighbours.

[AndrewDod]

Therefore all you need to do is show that the equipment cannot and does not have any effect on your neighbours.

You probably need to do a little more - to show that it would have no adverse effect if several neighbours installed such a thing - else it would be a case of first come first serve, and others would be later prevented.

It all depends on the water supply to the building as a whole, which might be sufficient or might not. Clearly they think it is not sufficient.

[Tipper]

It is the supply pressure and size/flow capability of the water supply pipe to the block that dictates whether you and your fellow flat owners can install an unvented cylinder, not how big its storage capacity is.
As you've already got one, and I assume yours works OK other than the amount of stored HW you have, then I would be inclined to just get on with the upgrade as you would be replacing an unvented cylinder with an unvented cylinder. Who's to know?

What is the problem with the current one?

[theartfullodger]

You'll obviously have to declare a dispute as and when you come to sell the place: Won't help the price and likely to put people off buying...