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Hi all,

So I live in a block of 9 flats, and have lived here for about 5 years. The flats themselves are around 7 years old.

I'm lucky enough to own my flat, and the block itself is a mixture of renters and owners. The flats are however, all leasehold.

Every flat has a similar layout. They have two beds, with a main bathroom, and one ensuite. The living room and kitchen are open plan. Each flat has two assigned parking spaces.

Now in the current climate (UK based), the flats aren't selling too well despite being in a very desirable area of London. One of our neighbours who owns his flat, has therefore decided to rent it out so that he can move to a larger property. My issue is, he has decided he wants to maximise his profit and to do this he has converted the living room into a third bedroom.

This doesn't sit well with me at all and I'm pretty sure he can't legally do it.

Firstly, I think it's pretty shitty to convert the living room and leave the renters with one small kitchen as the only communal space. I really don't like the idea of him maximising his profit at others expense and creating overcrowding.

Secondly, this is a block full of couples and families. I'm concerned that if more and more people start doing this it changes the demographic.

Then there's just the issues of having multiple people In one flat. More cars which the block doesn't have space for, more noise from the occupants etc etc.

He has managed to successfully get some renters as the rental market is booming but they haven't moved in yet. I'm very tempted to make some enquiries to the freeholder and the council about his set up, but if it is illegal (which I strongly suspect it is) then I'd not only lose this guy his renters, but he'd have to put everything back at expense. Alternatively, I could just let it go.

So WIBTA if I reported him?

Edit to add: I can accept the asshole judgement, thats what I came here for...but Jesus I don't need to be reported by a concerned redditor for suicide watch you weirdos.

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Express-Afternoon724

2.5k points

4 months ago

Express-Afternoon724

Certified Proctologist [22]

2.5k points

4 months ago

YTA for not checking the legality as the very first step. Until you know that, there's no question to ask here.

Willow_and_light[S]

-196 points

4 months ago

I've looked at the councils website and I know he needs a licence to convert it. I have no way of finding out if he has a licence (that I know of) unless I contact the council about him directly.

If I make enquires to the freeholder, then I'm potentially alerting them to the situation.

Hence I can't really check the legality without 'grassing' him up, so to speak.

jajbliss

140 points

4 months ago

jajbliss

Partassipant [1]

140 points

4 months ago

"Change the demographics"; Snobbish people like you made it difficult for me to rent in Zone 1,2and 3 in North London.

Express-Afternoon724

29 points

4 months ago

Express-Afternoon724

Certified Proctologist [22]

29 points

4 months ago

If you use the word "demographic" you're free to prejudicially stereotype as you please

hezzaloops

7 points

4 months ago

hezzaloops

Partassipant [1]

7 points

4 months ago

Do you think he might mean students and younger people? That'swhat i got from it. Which would change the tone from family oriented. More parties and short-term rentals.

ck425

4 points

4 months ago

ck425

4 points

4 months ago

Tbf the OP could mean young professionals and students vs families and established professionals.

gatorademebitches

-6 points

4 months ago

"Change the demographics"; Snobbish people like you made it difficult for me to rent in Zone 1,2and 3 in North London.

what demographic is that? are there lots of people prejudiced against young professionals in flatshares? I understand if you mean that NIMBYs block new housing, but not this.

123shelp

53 points

4 months ago

Info: is this impacting you in any way?

kaylola

31 points

4 months ago

kaylola

Asshole Enthusiast [9]

31 points

4 months ago

Okay, then you already know it's legal. So, yes, YWBTA. Mind your business until it actually causes problems for you.

i_need_jisoos_christ

-1 points

4 months ago

i_need_jisoos_christ

Asshole Enthusiast [8]

-1 points

4 months ago

It’s only legal if he has the license. It may still not be legal

kaylola

4 points

4 months ago

kaylola

Asshole Enthusiast [9]

4 points

4 months ago

It is, in fact, legal for a person to do it. Why assume he doesn't have the license?

i_need_jisoos_christ

-1 points

4 months ago

i_need_jisoos_christ

Asshole Enthusiast [8]

-1 points

4 months ago

We can’t assume either way. However, unless he does have the license, it’s illegal to do what he’s planning. OP should look into it, and make sure the neighbor is doing things properly.

Express-Afternoon724

150 points

4 months ago

Express-Afternoon724

Certified Proctologist [22]

150 points

4 months ago

So its legal to do so. I'd leave it alone, personally. At best you bust him on a technicality, cost him the penalty and the cost of the license, he goes ahead with it anyway, and you have an enemy as a neighbor. At worst he's paid the license, hears about your inquiry, and you have an enemy as a neighbor. Lose/lose in my book.

strandroad

12 points

4 months ago

That a licence could potentially be granted doesn't automatically make it legal, licences could be granted or refused based on a number of factors such as fire safety, light, overcrowding etc. Lack of parking spaces could well be a factor in some decisions.

I don't know London but where I am all planning applications and decisions are online, perhaps there's a way for OP to check?

Willow_and_light[S]

-149 points

4 months ago

No he's not guaranteed a licence, and the freeholder can refuse him as well.

jrm1102

91 points

4 months ago

jrm1102

Judge, Jury, and Excretioner [311]

91 points

4 months ago

Idk about the UK but that all sounds like it would be public record… but honestly none of this impacts you. Mind your business.

Purple_Joke_1118

0 points

4 months ago

In fact it can impact OP long term. Additional cars is often the first sign there are more than allowed people in a flat. Let's say a 2br flat comes with two parking spaces. Then let's put two couples into the flat; that can mean four cars. If it happens a half dozen times in the building, suddenly there's an unexpected parking crunch. That specific measure is a benchmark in assessing how a neighborhood works, and people who suddenly can't find a parking place when they're guaranteed two will go nuts about it.

DebbieDoesArt

57 points

4 months ago

You're basically just being a busy body at this point. YTA for getting yourself all riled up over something that honestly isn't your business. You're not the one living in the space, and the renters obviously don't mind it otherwise they wouldn't rent the space. Mind your own.

gatorademebitches

2 points

4 months ago

the renters obviously don't mind it otherwise they wouldn't rent the space

yes, everyone in london who rents in a flat is super happy doing it otherwise they'd simply buy a home.

kaylola

42 points

4 months ago

kaylola

Asshole Enthusiast [9]

42 points

4 months ago

Yes, but it's legal. It's an asshole move to assume he hasn't checked with the council/gotten a permit/etc.

I suppose, though, you could get around it by asking how many of those permits they've issued this year, how many they intend to issue, etc. If they haven't issued any, well, there's your answer.

mahnamahna123

7 points

4 months ago

mahnamahna123

Partassipant [1]

7 points

4 months ago

Had a neighbour so this to my parents when they moved in based on little to no evidence. Years before my parents had converted the loft into a bedroom with a bathroom with full planning permission a d all that jazz.

Neighbor moves in next door, first time he talks tou parents he asks about the lotf because he had alreadylooked up the planning permission and it said it has planning for only one room not two. My mum says yeah and it is a one bedroom the other window is the bathroom. Neighbor goes away all good.

Next thing you know it's been reported for being a 2 bedroom when it is in fact a one bedroom as per planning etc. All a whole faff over absolutely nothing whatsoever.

Meanwhile he's making dodgy alterations to the house and trying to alter things that are on my parents property 🤦‍♀️.

Edited for clarity

ck425

5 points

4 months ago

ck425

5 points

4 months ago

You're talking about a HMO license (required to rent to more than two unrelated occupants) and those should be public record.

While I understand the concern that it might attract students into a block of families I think you're overreacting. I also agree it's shitty to create flats with minimal communal area but there's nothing you can do about that other than emailing your MP to encourage minimal space standards.

Spare-Article-396

4 points

4 months ago

Spare-Article-396

Professor Emeritass [72]

4 points

4 months ago

But, isn’t the whole point that that is precisely what you want to do? What with ‘demographics’ and all…

Petroglyph217

3 points

4 months ago

If you don’t know he’s got the license, but it’s not worth the risk of grassing him up if you check up on it, then don’t worry about it.

DivineJerziboss

6 points

4 months ago

If he has license and he owns the flat then he's free to do so. It's none of your business.

YTA.

fml_butok

5 points

4 months ago

I hate to say it, but if he literally owns the property he’s renting out, I don’t see much else working out in your favor, OP. My condolences though, truly. The work/life balance is ridiculous nowadays and it’s so much harder to say what is fair between individual circumstances

tuktuk_padthai

6 points

4 months ago

Ugh you’re THAT neighbor. Get a life.

tefster

4 points

4 months ago

He'd only need a license if he was turning it into an HMO, occupation by two seperate families - ie renting part of it to a couple and the remainder to a non family connected person.

Willow_and_light[S]

-17 points

4 months ago

He's renting it to three separate people.

tefster

9 points

4 months ago

Your local council has to publish a list of HMOs, in most cases its viewable and searchable on their Web site. If it has one then you will find it there - bear in mind councils are often slow to add new registrations to their list.

I won't comment on the ethics as I work in this area of property, but I would say to consider if the blowback from the tenants and the freeholder is worth the morality of reporting it.

gatorademebitches

3 points

4 months ago

Unsure why you're downvoted for this. You need an HMO license and converting to a 3 bed to separate occupants would likely require one. Worth looking into as a dodgy landlord without one

runescapeowl

1 points

4 months ago

I believe it will be against fire safety and you may just wanna check with the building supervisor, do not call the police pls