Landlords agency won't allow a sat dish

Cheekykid · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:19

I recently moved in to a flat and I want to setup a satellite dish on the balcony. The dish will be mounted on my base therefore no damage will be done to the property at all other than the hole i need to open to pass the cable inside. I contacted the agency that manages this building and they said no satellite dish is allowed and this is not negotiable at all. Then I read the contract i signed and it says:

Aerials: Not to erect or permit to project outside the property any wireless or tv aerial or satellite dish or other construction without: a) landlords consent not to be unreasonably withheld, and b) landlords agreement to the form of installation.

From this it doesn't appear to say "You can't have sat dishes". It appears to suggest that it would be negotiable which is what I thought when I signed.

Can someone explain to me what the "not to be unreasonably withheld" means? Can I win this case?

Gilly · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:21

Have you asked for a reason and quoted that part of the contract to them?

Nitefly · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:23

It means you can put the dish up as long as there is not a reasonable argument not to do so.

I suggets you request what these reasonable arguments are.

Gooner14 · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:23

Just do it, thats what I did. The worst thing they can do is withhold some of the deposit.

Sin_Chase · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:23

I would interpret that as it he cannot just turn around and say "No".

Does not mean he can revoke permission on the criteria you are suggesting to him though. Do other people have the same setup you are looking at?

drunkenmaster · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:27

it depends I guess, if it will make a noticable asthetic change they are probably within their rights to withhold permission. Have you confirmed you can actually install it on a balcony not on their property but your own base so it can essentially be removed when you leave easily, or are you hoping it will work there. If hoping, you might find that they can't get a signal there and it has to be higher or in a different location, they might have looked into it with previous tenants and found out it has to go somewhere very visible.

they might even have removed a previously installed one and be assuming the location was the only place they could install it. Its worth asking/persuing as it might be nothing more than a misunderstanding. Check if any neighbours have them, if they all have one then their argument gets weaker and their refusal might be more easily deemed unreasonable. Block of flats or just floor of a normal house? maybe theres a dish for the block you can also use?

antijoke · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:29

Could you clarify where you want the dish installing?

Lysander · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:30

A lot of landlords and agents won't allow satellite dishes for cosmetic reasons, and this is generally seen as a valid reason. This isn't limited to specific properties either: some areas of Westminster don't allow satellite dishes on whole streets for exactly - and only - cosmetic reasons.

You could put one up anyway but it wouldn't be worth the hassle if the agents find out. Get cable or something instead.

Helium_Junkie · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:31

As has been said, quote that piece of the article and ask for the reasons. Good luck!

Hodders · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:32

Is the house in a conservation area or listed or anything ?

Raymond Lin · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:35

Cheekykid said:
Aerials: Not to erect or permit to project outside the property any wireless or tv aerial or satellite dish or other construction without: a) landlords consent not to be unreasonably withheld, and b) landlords agreement to the form of installation.

If it states in the Convenant that no satellite dish or any external fixing allowed then the landlord can't say yes even if he wants to. Specially when its a flat !

Gilly · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:36

Covenant?? I didn't realise the contract we were discussing was the 10 commandments!

Raymond Lin · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:37

Gilly said:
Covenant?? I didn't realise the contract we were discussing was the 10 commandments!

Yup, Part C of the Offical Copies, the Charges Register

Bennie-Mac · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:40

We have a dish up and it says on our contract you cant have one, and i own the house im not even renting! I think its just a clause in most house deeds now, to try and keep the street looking nice. Im not allowed to paint my front door.

neil3k · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:41

I asked my landlord before I moved in

Beerbaron · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:42

Gilly said:
Covenant?? I didn't realise the contract we were discussing was the 10 commandments!

Thall shall not erect a satellite

Malt_Vinegar · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:47

Can you mount it with a temporary mount, then if they ask you can say you just put it up whenever you want to watch it. So its not a perminant fixture?

Gilly · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:48

Beerbaron said:
Thall shall not erect a satellite

Thou shalt not, surely?

Lysander · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:49

Bennie-Mac said:
We have a dish up and it says on our contract you cant have one, and i own the house im not even renting! I think its just a clause in most house deeds now, to try and keep the street looking nice. Im not allowed to paint my front door.

A deed for an owned house is very different to a recently drawn up tenancy agreement. In a private let, the house is owned by the landlord - not the tenant - and the tenant is subject to the stipulations of the landlord as monitored by him or his agents and signed in the tenancy agreement.

R.O.S.S.I · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:50

Gilly said:
Thou shalt not, surely?

Surely.

Landlords agency won't allow a sat dish

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