Annual General Meeting
Owners of flats are encouraged to attend the annual general meetings of the Campden Hill Court companies. These usually take place in October each year, beginning at 7.00 pm. In addition to the formal business of approving accounts, electing board members and appointing auditors, these meetings provide the opportunity to meet neighbours, find out about the running of the building and hear about current and planned projects.
Renting a flat
Owners who wish to rent their flats to tenants must apply to the managing agent to do so. Payment of a small fee will be required to cover administration costs.
The application has to be accompanied by character references for incoming tenants from previous landlords. The application form also requests confirmation that the prospective tenants have read and accept the guidelines for residents.
These requirements are in place in order to protect both Campden Hill Court as a whole and also individual owners and tenants.
Despite legislative changes in 2015, short term letting (that is, under 90 days, e.g. via Airbnb) remains prevented by the terms of the leases at Campden Hill Court; see Nemcova v Fairfield Rents Ltd (2016).
The application form for a rental tenancy can be read here. The guidelines for residents can be read here.
Alterations, repairs and maintenance
Owners of flats are responsible for internal maintenance and repair. These requirements are set out in the lease. Owners may also decide to undertake more substantial alterations to their flats in order to redesign or refurbish them.
Building work is a feature of life in any mansion block in London. Whether it is minor or more substantial, it inevitably creates inconvenience, noise and potential dust and dirt, all of which can affect other residents. Structural alterations can have serious consequences for the overall integrity and fabric of the building, their design must be in sympathy with its age and style and the works must be undertaken with special care.
In the interests of all owners and residents, Campden Hill Court has clear guidelines for the conduct of contractors and a legally enforceable system of licensing major alterations, which is rigorously applied. For any works other than minor repairs and redecorations, and including plumbing changes, a letter of consent or a formal licence to alter will probably be required. For major alterations, it may also be necessary to obtain local authority planning permission and building regulations consent.
Any owner who is considering anything other than minor repairs and redecoration, including making changes to plumbing, should therefore consult the managing agent at the earliest opportunity.
Owners are responsible for ensuring that contractors and tradesmen follow relevant guidelines and that work in their flats is carried out with due consideration for other residents. Except in emergencies, work within a flat may only be undertaken between 8.00 am and 6.00 pm on weekdays; work which can be heard outside the flat must not begin before 9.00 am and must finish by 5.00 pm and no work is permitted on public holidays or in the period between Christmas and new year. The disposal of rubbish connected to the work is the responsibility of the flat owner concerned, who will also be asked to pay the costs of any damage to the common areas or of any additional cleaning which may be required.
A copy of the rules and regulations governing building work and redecoration can be read here. A summary of the guidelines for licences to alter can be read here. A full copy of the guidelines for licences to alter can be read here. And the application form for a licence to alter can be read here.
