Thinking about altering your Barbican flat?

Thinking about altering your Barbican flat? What can you do? Alterations you can’t make You can’t do anything to the main structure of the building – the four walls, the concrete floor, the ceiling. Alterations you can make There are lots of internal changes you can make – but you have to get permission first. We tell you all about that in the next few pages. Major repairs … Repairing the structure and exterior of your flat is the responsibility of the Barbican Estate Office. 1

Permissions you need You may need one or more of these Listed building consent Building regulation approval There’s a Barbican Residents Guide to tell you what works need listed building consent. Any connections to the building's water, drainage or ventilation systems need approval by the City’s District Surveyor. Planning permission Landlord’s consent External works can require planning consent. Almost any alterations will need landlord’s consent, issued by the Barbican Estate Office. 2 Page 2

Listed building consent The Barbican Estate became a listed building in 2001. The bad news The almost as bad news Some good news It’s a criminal offence to alter a listed building without permission. The City can make you undo any unauthorised changes. Fortunately, not all alterations require consent. See the next page. 3

Listed building consent Checking if your alterations require listed building consent. Barbican Residents Guide It defies common sense So ask the City There’s a Listed Building Guide for Barbican Residents, on the City’s website cityoflondon.gov.uk This tells you which works need consent, and which don’t. Changing kitchen units doesn’t, changing window boxes does! If in doubt, ask the City – if they say you don’t need consent, get a letter so you can satisfy your buyer when you sell. 4

Getting listed building consent The consent process Applying to the City The Department of Planning and Transportation can advise you whether you actually need consent. If you do, they can tell you if you are likely to get it and how to apply You will have to fill in some forms and send plans to the City. It usually takes several weeks. You can’t start work till you get the approval. 5

Planning permission When required • You would need planning permission for any changes to the exterior of the building. Not usually relevant now • Some flat owners in the past were allowed to enclose their balconies and that required planning permission. That is no longer allowed. But if you want to do something to an outdoor space, check with the City whether planning permission is needed. 6

Landlord’s consent You will definitely need this • Under the terms of your lease, almost any alterations - meaning, all works other than normal repairs, like-for-like replacement of worn out items, and decoration - need written consent from the City as your landlord. • Consents are issued by the Barbican Estate Office, Lauderdale Place, Barbican, London, EC2Y 8EN. • You should speak to Sheila Delaney at the Barbican Estate Office on 020-7029 3953 and she will tell you exactly what you need to do to apply for landlord’s consent. 7 Page 7

Building Regulations Do you need Building Regulation consent? When your works need approval If any of the alterations involve making connections to the building’s ventilation, water or drainage systems, then Building Regulation approval is needed. For example, changing a sink and making a new connection inside the flat, doesn’t require it. But if you put in a new shower and the plumber has to connect to the drain in the central core, that does require it. This is handled by yet another City department. 8

District Surveyor’s Department The District Surveyor must approve the works as they are done Inspection procedure Before you start work, you have to fill in a form and pay the District Surveyor's Department a fee. Then one of their surveyors will come round and inspect the work at each stage. So if you open up a wall to do work, you can’t close it up until they have seen it. At the end, they will give you a completion certificate. 9

Building Regulations – proof you complied Building Regulation completion certificate District Surveyor • The essential piece of paper is the ‘completion certificate’ which the District Surveyor at the City issues when he has inspected and finally approved the works. • You need this to prove to future buyers that the works were approved. 10

Building regulations - electrical work Certificate from an electrician • If you have any electrical work done, that also requires building regulation consent. • But in this case you don’t have to involve the District Surveyors Department. • Make sure you use an electrician who is authorised to give you a certificate of compliance. • This is another document you need to keep safe so you can show it future buyers. 11

The Garchey You need an expert to cap it off. Barbican Estate Office The Garchey is the estate-wide waste disposal system in your kitchen sink. If you want it removed, you have to get the Barbican Estate Office’s permission and they will want their engineer to supervise it. Lots of garchey units have been removed in the past and it has compromised the system. So the BEO may refuse to allow you to remove it. But, if nothing else, they can certainly tell you how to stop it smelling. . 12

Projekt Finally … make sure the paperwork is in order This is a list of everything you may need to keep on file. What you may need from the City • Listed building consent • Building regulation compliance certificate What you may need from the Barbican Estate Office • Landlord’s consent letter • Garchey certificate What you may need from your electrician • a certificate of compliance from your electrician. 13

Thinking about altering your Barbican flat?