“Follia burocratica” convince un contabile londinese a pagare una fattura di 16.000 sterline per sostituire due finestre nel suo appartamento al piano terra
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/london-flat-home-windows-replace-council-planning-red-tape-b1259481.html
di SignificantLegs
7 commenti
> Replacing them with standard PVC double-glazed windows should have cost around £2,500.
>Pro-growth campaign group Britain Remade, which has taken up Mr Howell’s case, says:
> * As his building is in Westminster, Mr Howell must first apply for planning permission to change his windows, even if they are identical in size and appearance, with the fee being £528 for the application.
Standard PVC and metal framed windows are nowhere near *even if they are identical in size and appearance*.
It’s within a heritage listing. Don’t like it? Then don’t buy within a heritage area.
Standard PVCs are fine, in all the places that the owner doesn’t want to live in.
Planning is one thing but the BSR is in its infancy and woefully under resourced. I would be frustrated in his position. But then, I have worked on enough apartment blocks in the UK that I would advise anyone not to buy in one!
Living in a heritage or conservation area must be so frustrating
> The rules affecting his window replacement plans were branded “particularly absurd” as they relate to a “higher risk building” even though his flat is on the ground floor.
Sorry what? Just because you bought a ground floor flat doesn’t mean it suddenly ceases to be in an 8 story building. I would’ve thought by now we had learned to take this a bit more seriously.
You can’t block that fire escape! ACTUALLY I can because I’m not living in a block of flats, I’m just living in one flat (which happens, for the timing being, to be situated under some number of other flats).
It’s a bit silly of this newspaper to compare metal-framed windows in a heritage area to cheap plastic double glazing. And tbh, they don’t need replacing – they can be restored with replacement hardwood jambs and the sill. It’s always the bottom of a window that rots, the top will be fine. The frames will be fine, they’re not weighted like a sash and DG’ing them will make no difference to their operation.
Am I being expected to feel sympathy for someone who a) can afford to buy in central London and b) didn’t bother to do his homework?
This is a nothing story, it got lots of comments when posted in r/London.
He lives in a block of flats so will have a share of freehold of the building. He will also pay a yearly service charge a portion of which will go into a sinking fund for maintenance and repairs of the building.
Buildings of this size will undergo external refurbishment, or they should, every 5-6 years. Due to the scope of the works on an 8-story building they will appoint a consultant to oversee the works from start to finish, usually on a percentage fee of the works total.
Window repairs and replacements will likely be included in the works and any planning or BSR applications for any of the works will be undertaken by the appointed consultant and included in the costs of the works.
Either he just needs to wait for the next cycle of works or ask his RTM board where his service charge money is going.
If this was a real issue, you’d have stories in the paper daily about it.