Licensing

Important Information, for leaseholders and contractors, when applying for licencing of remedial works at Macquarie Quay.

As required by the 3rd schedule (paragraph 8) of the lease and covenants, which you will have signed when purchasing your property, all remedial works require permission by licencebefore work begins. The license is from Victoria Quay Management Company Ltd (VQMC), however you will need to apply to Wishtower to get the required forms and pay the administration fee.

It states:

"Not at any time to make any alterations or additions to the property nor to cut, maim or remove any of the party of other walls nor to carry out any development thereto nor change the user thereof (within the meaning of any legislation for the time being related to Town and Country planning) without the previous formal licence of the company, provided that such plans and specifications as the company shall deem necessary of any such alterations or additions shall be first submitted to the company for its approval and the lessee shall pay the fees of any surveyor to the company for approving the plans and specifications and inspecting the works and shall also pay the proper legal costs of the company In connection with any such licence."

Whilst, most works will not fall into the category that requires planning permission, the majority of alterations (kitchens, bathrooms and boilers), do require building regulation approval, and VQMC Ltd, will require confirmation that this has been met. A fine for failing to btain a licince prior to start of remedial work will result in a fine of at least double the administration fee.

INITIAL BASIC REQUIREMENTS

Any contractor appointed by a leaseholder MUST present copies of their Liability insurance certificates and method statements in advance of works beginning, to VQMC Ltd. Any contractors who are approved building regulators, must also present proof of their authority, plus relevant building regulation and /or Gas safe compliance certificates, on completion of works.
Absolutely NO tools, materials, (i.e plasterboard, tiles, timber, copper pipe etc, or new or extracted boilers, kitchens or bathroom items etc, are to be left in communal areas (halls, lobbys , stairways, or any other communal area.)
As a courtesy to neighbours, noise must be kept to a minimum and works should not extend outside normal working hours.

Contractors vehicles may park in designated (V) Visitor bays, WITH the use of a red parking permit, which must be supplied by the leaseholder from their designated annual allocation.
Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES, must contractors vehicles be parked in any other area especially paved communal access roadways.

Communal floors, MUST be protected at all times, from footprints, dust, dirt or other residue.
Should this not be complied with, VQMC Ltd, will appoint a cleaning contractor and charge the leaseholder for costs and administration charges. Any non payment, will be added to the annual service charge account and payment subsequently sought by legal means if necessary.

BOILERS

Due to regulatory changes, the fall required for modern Flues doesnt meet the requirement of existing standards and as such will almost always need replacing. This inevitably necessitates drilling new holes through external walls. In such cases the drilling MUST only be done from outside inwards, in order to prevent breakout of external brickwork and render. This presents a need for high-level external access. This can be achieved by the use of ladders, cherry pickers or scaffolding.

When scaffolding is used, it MUST NOT block any ground floor access ways, doors, or gates. Scaffolding, can ONLY be left in place overnight, IF it has been clad at ground level or fitted with an alarm system, to prevent unauthorised use by children.

Any holes drilled through external (communal) walls MUST be made good with appropriate matching materials. Cementing over rendered walls is NOT acceptable.

It is forbidden to run ANY pipework on the exterior walls of the building.

Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES, must new Flues be run through roofing areas, without prior consultation and approval of VQMC Ltd.

KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS

Most major kitchen and bathroom replacements or alterations are subject to building regulation approval. The fitting of appliances also requires the use of Gas Safe, fitters and proof of such contractor qualifications, all of which will be required in advance by VQMC Ltd.

Most kitchen and bathroom works generally generate a lot of plasterboard and other dust. We refer you again, to the above requirements regarding cleanliness and disposal of materials.

WALLS AND INTERNAL LAYOUT

It is FORBIDDEN, to interfere, in any way, with internal load bearing walls.
Restructuring, or alterations, to non-loadbearing walls, must be approved in advance, by VQMC Ltd by submission of a drawn plan and in most cases, it will also require the approval of the local Building Regulatory Authority, as there are usually health and safety concerns to be mitigated.

WOODEN DECKING BOARD REPLACEMENT

Subsequent to the recent EWS1 Fire legislative requirements any replacement of existing (flammable) wooden decking boards can only be made with fire retardant boards to Euro standard A1 /A2 rating. No works must be carried out without the prior approval of VQMC ltd with subsequent licence approval.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING POINTS

With the growing demand for charging points in private parking bays to cater for electric vehicles, electrical works MUST be agreed in advance with VQMC Ltd. Potential electric cable runs through communal undercroft areas and connections to power sources must be agreed prior to a licience being issued. The license will also include a requirement for annual certification of the electric vehical charging station at the leaseholders cost. Under NO circumstances should an electric vehicle be plugged into a socket in the undercroft or entryway.

CAT LICENSE

A cat is the only animal aloud at Macquarie Quay. Please apply for a Cat license to Wishtower before bringing a pet to live or visit.

This information is NOT comprehensive and is only intended to assist leaseholders in complying with relevant legislation and lease requirements.

Should you have any further questions, please contact Wishtower.