Barbican Living
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions by Buyers
Q. There's a clause in the lease saying I have to keep the flat carpeted. Can I lay wooden floors?
A. Strictly, no. The Barbican Estate Office won't grant formal permission. However, they have not been known to object. They just make the point that if you don't use adequate sound-proofing and subsequently there are complaints from neighbours, then they reserve the right to make you lay carpet. With a wooden floor, Barbican flat is not that much different from a squash court (okay, with a kitchen and a bathroom). The concrete walls naturally reverberate. Unless you have some carpet you won't be able to hold a conversation without a ringing tone in your ears.
Q. What major works are expected to take place in my block and how much will they cost?
A. The Corporation provide details of anticipated expenditure with estimated costs. These can be obtained from the Barbican Estate Office on 7628 4341.
Q. Is there a sinking fund?
A. No. With some large expenses, the Barbican may agree instalment payments to soften the blow and you should speak to the Barbican Estate Office (7628 4341).
Q. Can I take over my sellers' parking space or baggage store when I become owner of the flat?
A. If they rent the space or store, then it goes back to the Corporation of London when the sellers move out and you have to go on the waiting list for one. If the sellers own it outright, then they can sell it to you. But bear in mind they are also able to sell it back to the City. So don't just assume it's included in your sale. Make sure it's specifically included in the sale contract.
Q. I don't like melamine and I want to gut the kitchen. I know the Barbican's a listed building now. Does that mean I'm doomed to keep a '70s kitchen forever?
A. You do have to fill some form in for English Heritage, but people are routinely changing their kitchens and bathrooms.
Q. I don't like the Garchey in the kitchen. Can I get a builder in to remove it?
A. You cannot remove the Garchey in your flat without permission. Permission may not be given now because any more removals may have an adverse effect on the communal drainage system. If it was done in the past, it needed the Barbican Management's permission, and you need to see the permission so that you can pass it on to your buyers in turn.
Q. What is Crossrail?
A. For decades there has been a plan to create a railway running deep underground from the Isle of Dogs in the east of London to Paddington in the west. It is likely to happen over the next few years and it will affect life in the Barbican in various ways.
Q. How are rent and service charges split between seller and buyer at completion?
A. It's complicated. Rent is paid in advance, service charges in arrears, and for different periods. Click here for an explanation with examples of the necessary calculations based on a typical Barbican rent demand.
Frequently Asked Questions (asked by Sellers)
Q. The buyer's solicitors say the lease appears to be defective, because there are no Landlord's covenants to repair the structure of the building.
A. Yours sounds like one of the leases granted under "the right to buy" legislation, contained in the Housing Act 1980 and subsequent amending or consolidating Acts. These Acts implied a duty on the landlord to provide those services so they didn't have to be set out in the lease itself.
Q. How are rent and service charges split between seller and buyer at completion?
A. It's complicated. Rent is paid in advance, service charges in arrears, and for different periods.
Q. Can anyone come back to me for more service charge later?
A. Yes. The Corporation's service charge demands are estimates and it is possible that when the final accounts are worked out for the year, they will need a bit more. (However, they are usually fairly accurate). If so, you will have to pay your proportion of the excess. So if you complete on 31st July, you will have to pay 7/12ths of the excess. Correspondingly, you are entitled to your proportion of any refund.
Q. I work in the City and it would be convenient to be able to park in the Barbican. Can I keep my car parking space after I sell?
A. Sorry! If you rent it, you have to hand it back. If you have bought it outright, you have two options: sell it on to your buyer, or sell it back to the Barbican (there's a fixed formula for the price they pay you). Either way you can't keep it once you have sold your flat unfortunately.
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