LEASEHOLD FLAT RENOVATION GUIDE
Renovating a leasehold flat: permissions and Licence to Alter.
Understand what to check before renovating a leasehold flat, including the lease, freeholder or landlord consent, a possible Licence to Alter and any separate approvals required for the proposed work.
Requirements depend on the individual lease, the building and the work proposed. This guide provides practical construction-planning information, not legal advice or consent.
THE SHORT ANSWER
The permission route depends on the lease and the work proposed.
A leasehold flat can usually be renovated, but the lease may prohibit certain alterations or require written consent from the landlord, freeholder or managing agent before work begins.
More substantial work may require a formal Licence to Alter. Planning permission, Building Regulations approval or a Party Wall process may also apply, but these are separate from consent required under the lease.
Two flats in similar buildings can have different leases, ownership boundaries, building rules and consent requirements. Check the documents and proposed scope for the individual property.
What does the lease allow?
Establish whether alterations are permitted, prohibited or allowed only with prior written consent or a formal licence.
Property-specificWhat work is proposed?
Replacing finishes is different from changing the layout, structure, plumbing, ventilation, electrical installations or parts connected to the wider building.
Scope-specificWho must review it?
The relevant party could be a freeholder, landlord, managing agent, appointed surveyor or another representative identified through the lease and building-management route.
Building-specificWhat else is required?
Depending on the proposal, separate planning, Building Regulations, Party Wall, structural, fire-safety or competent-person requirements may need to be addressed.
Separate approvalsSTART WITH THE PROPERTY DOCUMENTS
Read the lease before finalising the renovation scope.
The lease is the starting point for understanding what forms part of the flat, which areas or building elements remain under the freeholder’s control and what alterations require prior consent.
Do not assume that everything visible from inside the flat belongs exclusively to the leaseholder. Structure, external walls, windows, service routes and communal parts may be treated differently by the lease.
Where the wording or property boundary is unclear, obtain advice from an appropriate legal or property professional before committing to the work.
THE PROPERTY-SPECIFIC STARTING POINT
Alteration clauses
Check whether alterations are prohibited, permitted or allowed only after obtaining written consent or entering into a formal licence.
The extent of the flat
Establish what is included within the property’s legal boundary and which structural, external or shared elements remain outside the leaseholder’s control.
Building restrictions
Look for conditions affecting hard flooring, noise, service alterations, windows, doors, ventilation, structural work or changes to the internal arrangement.
Practical obligations
The lease or building rules may also address access, contractor arrangements, working hours, communal areas, waste removal and responsibility for damage.
The documents may establish whether consent is required, but the proposed work must still be reviewed for technical feasibility, applicable approvals and an appropriate construction method.
LICENCE TO ALTER
A formal record of consent for defined alterations.
A Licence to Alter is a legal document recording the landlord’s or freeholder’s consent to a specified package of alterations where the lease or proposed work requires that formal route.
It normally identifies the approved work and the conditions attached to it. The exact process, professional involvement and documentation depend on the lease, the building and the proposal.
Not every renovation requires a formal licence. Some work may need simpler written consent, while other alterations may be prohibited or require more extensive legal and technical review.
PRACTICAL DEFINITION
Consent tied to an agreed scope.
The licence does not provide unrestricted permission to renovate. It relates to the work described in its drawings, specifications and conditions.
The approved work
The document may refer to the proposed layout, drawings, specification, structural information and other submitted project details.
Conditions before starting
Consent may depend on professional information, insurance, statutory approvals, contractor details or other requirements being provided first.
Construction obligations
Conditions may address working methods, access, noise, communal protection, inspections, working hours or responsibility for damage.
Completion information
The landlord’s team may require inspection records, certificates, confirmation of compliance or evidence that the approved scope has been completed correctly.
Some alterations may be dealt with through a written approval or consent letter, subject to the individual lease and landlord’s procedure.
More significant, structural or layout-related work may require a formal legal agreement supported by drawings and professional information.
If the design or construction scope changes after consent is issued, confirm whether the alteration must be reviewed again before the revised work proceeds. Growchance does not determine the legal effect of a licence or authoritatively interpret lease conditions.
ALTERATIONS THAT NEED ATTENTION
Some changes affect more than the finishes inside the flat.
The required consent route cannot be decided from the size or cost of the project alone. A relatively contained alteration can still affect the building’s structure, external appearance, shared services, fire strategy or neighbouring homes.
The examples below commonly justify closer review, but they are not a universal list. The lease and the proposed work remain the starting points.
Layout changes
Moving, removing or constructing walls changes the arrangement recorded in the existing property information and may affect structure, fire safety, acoustics or services.
- Removing internal partitions
- Forming or closing door openings
- Changing room arrangements
Structural alterations
Changes involving load-bearing walls, beams, floors, roofs or other structural elements normally require technical design and careful coordination with the appropriate consent route.
- Widening structural openings
- Installing structural steelwork
- Alterations affecting floor structure
Kitchens and bathrooms
Renewing fittings in their existing positions may be treated differently from moving wet areas, drainage, ventilation or service routes within the building.
- Relocating a kitchen or bathroom
- Changing drainage routes
- Adding another shower room or WC
Building services
Electrical, plumbing, heating, gas and ventilation work may affect shared systems, structural elements, fire stopping or parts of the building outside the flat.
- New or altered service routes
- Boiler or flue alterations
- Mechanical ventilation changes
Hard flooring
Replacing carpet with timber, laminate, engineered wood, tiles or another hard finish can raise acoustic and impact-noise questions, particularly above neighbouring accommodation.
- Timber or engineered flooring
- Laminate and LVT installations
- Tiled floors and acoustic build-ups
External and shared elements
Windows, entrance doors, external walls, balconies, communal areas and shared service routes may remain under freeholder control even where they are immediately beside the flat.
- Windows and external doors
- Openings through external walls
- Work affecting communal parts
SEPARATE PERMISSIONS
One approval does not automatically replace another.
A leasehold renovation can involve several different approval routes. Each one considers a different relationship or responsibility, and the applicable combination depends on the property and proposed work.
Landlord consent concerns the lease and building ownership. Planning and Building Regulations are statutory systems. Party Wall matters concern certain work affecting neighbouring property. They should not be treated as interchangeable.
Landlord or freeholder consent
This route considers the lease, ownership of the building and the landlord’s requirements. It may result in written consent, a formal Licence to Alter, conditions or refusal, depending on the documents and proposal.
Planning permission
Planning permission considers development and its effect on the property, surrounding area or external appearance. Many internal works may not require it, but listed buildings, external changes, changes of use and other proposals can require separate checks.
Building Regulations
Building Regulations address applicable technical requirements such as structure, fire safety, ventilation, drainage, electrical safety, energy performance and other controlled building work.
Party Wall matters
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 can apply to certain work involving a party structure, boundary or nearby excavation. Whether it applies depends on the work and property relationship, not simply on the existence of adjoining neighbours.
For example, a structural opening in a leasehold flat may need freeholder consent, structural design and Building Regulations approval, with Party Wall procedures considered separately where relevant. The correct sequence should be established for the individual project before work starts.
PREPARING THE APPLICATION
Clear project information helps the proposal to be reviewed.
The landlord, freeholder, managing agent or their appointed professionals may request information showing what will change, how the work will be carried out and whether relevant technical and statutory requirements have been considered.
The exact submission differs between buildings and projects. Request the property-specific application requirements before commissioning unnecessary documents or assuming that a standard package will be accepted.
POSSIBLE APPLICATION INFORMATION
Describe the alteration clearly.
The reviewing party needs enough information to understand the existing property, proposed work and possible effect on the wider building.
Existing drawings
Plans showing the flat’s current layout and the areas affected by the proposed renovation or alteration.
Proposed drawings
Plans, elevations or details identifying the intended layout, openings, finishes, fittings and other relevant changes.
Work specification
A written description of the demolition, construction, services, materials, acoustic measures and finishing work proposed.
Technical information
Structural calculations, design details, fire or acoustic information and other professional documents where the scope requires them.
Contractor information
Details of the proposed contractor, relevant insurance, working methods, programme and arrangements for protecting shared areas.
Separate approvals
Planning, Building Regulations, Party Wall or competent-person information where applicable to the approved construction route.
Further questions, amended drawings or additional professional information may be requested during review. Keep the construction programme provisional until the applicable consent route and pre-start conditions have been resolved.
WHO MAY BE INVOLVED
The consent route may involve several different parties.
The person who manages day-to-day communication may not be the party with legal authority to approve alterations. A managing agent may administer the process while the freeholder, landlord or another authorised party makes the formal decision.
Surveyors, solicitors, engineers and other professionals may also be appointed to review particular aspects of the proposal. Their roles and instructions depend on the building and the proposed work.
PROPERTY-SPECIFIC CONSENT TEAM
Understand each role before submitting the proposal.
Ask who receives the application, who reviews the technical information, who issues consent and who confirms that the pre-start conditions have been satisfied.
Titles and responsibilities vary between privately owned blocks, converted properties, housing associations and local-authority freeholders.
Freeholder or landlord
The party with the relevant interest in the building may determine whether consent can be granted and what conditions or legal documentation are required.
Managing agent
The managing agent may coordinate communication, provide building rules, receive information and explain the administrative route, but its authority should not be assumed.
Appointed surveyor
A landlord’s surveyor may review drawings, specifications, structural information, construction methods and the possible effect on the wider building.
Legal and technical advisers
Solicitors, structural engineers, architects, building-control professionals or other specialists may provide information or advice relevant to their individual disciplines.
A conversation or initial indication may help shape the application, but construction should not begin until the required written consent, formal documentation and applicable pre-start conditions have been confirmed through the correct route.
FEES AND PROGRAMME ALLOWANCES
Consent can affect both the budget and the start date.
A leasehold alteration application can involve administration, professional and legal costs that sit outside the building contractor’s construction price.
The amount and timing vary between buildings and proposals. Obtain the relevant requirements directly from the landlord, freeholder, managing agent and appointed professionals instead of relying on a generic London allowance.
Application and administration
The party managing the alteration process may charge for receiving, administering and recording the application.
Confirm before applyingLandlord’s surveyor
A surveyor may be appointed to review drawings, specifications, structural information, construction methods or completed work.
Scope-dependentLegal documentation
A formal Licence to Alter or related lease documentation can involve legal work for the landlord and leaseholder.
Property-specificYour professional team
Drawings, lease advice, structural design, acoustic information or other professional input may be needed to prepare the proposal.
Separate appointmentStatutory approvals
Planning, Building Control and other applicable approval costs remain separate from landlord or freeholder consent unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Separate routeInspection and completion
The consent conditions may require interim visits, completion inspections, certificates or further information before the matter is closed.
Check the conditionsPROGRAMME RISK
Treat the construction start as provisional.
Review periods, additional information and consent conditions can affect when the works are ready to begin. The application period should not be treated as part of a guaranteed construction programme.
The appropriate costs depend on the lease, the landlord’s process, the professionals appointed and the work proposed. Request written, project-specific information and keep consent costs separate from Growchance’s construction quotation unless an item is expressly included.
SHARED-BUILDING PRACTICALITIES
Plan how the renovation will operate beyond the flat’s front door.
Flat renovation work often relies on entrances, corridors, staircases, lifts, parking or loading areas shared with other occupiers. The building’s rules can therefore affect deliveries, waste removal, noisy operations and the practical construction sequence.
Identify these conditions before confirming labour, logistics and programme assumptions. Restricted access can materially change how the work must be organised.
CONSTRUCTION LOGISTICS
The route into the property is part of the project.
Measure and review the full journey from the delivery or loading point to the work area—not only the rooms being renovated.
Confirm building-specific requirements with the relevant managing agent, landlord or building representative before mobilisation.
Access and deliveries
Check entrance widths, stairs, lift dimensions, booking systems, loading arrangements and any restrictions affecting materials, appliances or large components.
Communal protection
Corridors, lift interiors, stairs and other shared surfaces may require agreed temporary protection, cleaning and condition recording.
Neighbours and noise
Building rules may restrict working hours or noisy operations. Consider advance communication, vibration, dust and the effect of extended work on adjoining homes.
Waste and storage
Establish where materials can be stored and how demolition waste can leave the building without obstructing escape routes, entrances or communal areas.
Doors, corridors, stairs, turns and lifts.
General access and noisy working periods.
Shared finishes, surfaces and circulation areas.
Safe routes, storage and collection arrangements.
Construction materials, packaging, tools and waste should not be allowed to obstruct communal corridors, stairs, entrances or other routes used by building occupants. Follow the building’s agreed access, protection and safety arrangements throughout the work.
THE WIDER BUILDING
Work inside one flat can affect the building around it.
Flats are connected through floors, walls, ceilings, entrances, escape routes and building services. An alteration that appears internal may therefore affect fire performance, sound transfer, ventilation or shared infrastructure.
These matters should be reviewed as part of the proposed design and applicable approval route—not left until finishes are being installed or the work is already under way.
Fire safety
Layout changes, new openings, doors, ceilings, service penetrations and ventilation work can interact with fire separation, detection, escape arrangements and the wider building strategy.
- Walls, floors and ceilings forming separation
- Flat entrance and other relevant doors
- Service penetrations and appropriate fire stopping
- Applicable detection and escape considerations
Acoustic performance
Removing finishes, altering partitions or replacing soft floor coverings with hard flooring can change how impact and airborne sound travel between neighbouring homes.
- Hard-floor finishes and acoustic underlays
- Party walls and separating floors
- Chases, openings and recessed services
- Building-specific acoustic requirements
Building services
Drainage, water, heating, gas, electrical and ventilation systems can pass through or serve several parts of the building. New routes must be coordinated with structure, fire and access requirements.
- Shared or communal service routes
- Drainage positions and falls
- Ventilation and external discharge points
- Access for maintenance and inspection
A proposed service route may affect structure and fire separation. A flooring choice may affect acoustic performance. A new room layout may affect ventilation and escape considerations. Resolving these relationships early supports a clearer consent application and a more reliable construction scope.
Where inspection, certification or supporting evidence is required, coordinate it before relevant walls, floors or ceilings are closed. The necessary process depends on the approved design, consent conditions and applicable technical requirements.
PRE-CONSTRUCTION CHECKLIST
Resolve the important dependencies before confirming the start.
A useful pre-construction check brings the property documents, proposed design, professional information, permissions and building logistics together before the contractor mobilises.
The checklist below is a planning framework rather than a universal approval list. Add any requirements identified by the lease, landlord, freeholder, managing agent or applicable authority.
BEFORE WORK BEGINS
Confirm the project is ready for construction.
A quotation, provisional programme or initial conversation does not replace the permissions, designs and pre-start information required for the individual flat.
Keep the approved documents and conditions available to the relevant project team throughout the work.
Lease checked
Confirm the alteration clauses, property boundaries and any relevant restrictions or consent requirements.
Scope defined
Record the layout, demolition, construction, services, finishes and elements affected by the proposed work.
Drawings coordinated
Make sure the drawings, specification and contractor scope describe the same agreed proposal.
Professional information prepared
Obtain structural, legal, acoustic, fire or other specialist input where the individual project requires it.
Consent route completed
Obtain the necessary written landlord or freeholder consent and resolve applicable Licence to Alter conditions.
Other approvals addressed
Confirm the position on planning, Building Regulations, Party Wall matters and competent-person requirements.
Building logistics agreed
Confirm access, permitted hours, lift or loading arrangements, communal protection, storage and waste removal.
Pre-start conditions closed
Provide required contractor, insurance, programme and technical information before mobilisation is confirmed.
Before accepting the final construction programme, compare the quotation, drawings, specification and consent conditions. Identify exclusions and responsibility for inspections, certificates, professional attendance and completion information.
Avoid constructing from superseded drawings or assumptions that no longer match the approved proposal. Where the design changes, establish whether updated consent, technical review or revised approval is required before carrying out the amended work.
FROM APPROVED SCOPE TO CONSTRUCTION
Growchance can review and deliver the agreed renovation work.
Growchance provides flat-renovation and construction services in London. We can review the proposed work, consider practical buildability and prepare a construction scope based on the information available for the project.
Where permissions or technical design are required, the construction scope should reflect the current drawings, specifications and consent conditions before work begins.
Review the proposed scope
Consider the existing property, intended layout, connected trades, practical constraints and information already prepared.
Identify construction dependencies
Highlight where design, access, approvals, services or building conditions may affect pricing and sequencing.
Define the agreed work
Prepare the construction quotation around the available drawings, specification, stated assumptions, inclusions and exclusions.
Coordinate construction
Deliver the agreed building work, specialist trades and finishes in accordance with the confirmed project requirements.
Growchance does not grant landlord or freeholder consent, provide authoritative lease interpretation or replace a solicitor, surveyor, structural engineer, planning adviser, Building Control body or other appointed professional. The leaseholder remains responsible for obtaining the permissions and professional advice required for the project unless a specific responsibility is expressly agreed in writing.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Leasehold renovation permissions explained.
These answers provide general planning guidance. The individual lease, property and proposed work determine the actual consent and approval route.
Discuss Your Flat Renovation01 Do I need freeholder permission to renovate my flat?
It depends on the lease and the work proposed. The lease may allow some work without formal consent, require written permission or a Licence to Alter, or prohibit particular alterations. Check the lease and ask the appropriate landlord, freeholder or managing agent for the property-specific procedure before starting.
02 Does every flat renovation need a Licence to Alter?
No. A formal Licence to Alter is not automatically required for every renovation. Some work may need simpler written consent, while structural, layout or building-sensitive alterations may require formal legal and technical review. The applicable route depends on the lease and proposal.
03 Is landlord consent the same as planning permission?
No. Landlord or freeholder consent concerns the lease and building ownership. Planning permission is a separate statutory process. Building Regulations approval and Party Wall procedures are also separate. A project may require more than one route.
04 Can I replace the kitchen or bathroom without permission?
Do not assume that replacing a kitchen or bathroom is automatically exempt. Renewing fittings in their existing positions may be treated differently from relocating a room, changing drainage, altering ventilation or modifying shared service routes. Check the lease and building requirements for the actual scope.
05 Can I install hard flooring in a leasehold flat?
The lease or building rules may restrict hard flooring or require consent, an acoustic build-up or supporting information. This is particularly relevant where another home is situated below the flat. Confirm the requirement before purchasing the flooring or removing the existing soft covering.
06 How long does a Licence to Alter take?
There is no universal timescale. The period depends on the landlord’s procedure, complexity of the work, quality of the submission, professional review, legal documentation and whether further information or revisions are required. Keep the construction start provisional until consent and pre-start conditions are resolved.
07 Who pays the freeholder’s professional fees?
The leaseholder may be asked to meet reasonable administration, surveying or legal costs associated with reviewing the proposal, but the position and amount are property-specific. Request written details before proceeding and obtain professional advice if the basis of a charge is unclear.
08 Can Growchance obtain the Licence to Alter for me?
Growchance can provide reasonable construction-scope and contractor information where agreed, and can review the proposed work for buildability and sequencing. Growchance does not grant consent, authoritatively interpret the lease or replace the leaseholder’s solicitor, surveyor, engineer, freeholder or approving authority.
DISCUSS YOUR FLAT RENOVATION
Tell us about the property and the work you are considering.
Share the flat’s location, the proposed renovation scope and any drawings, leasehold requirements or consent information already available. Growchance can review the construction enquiry and discuss the practical next steps.
London postcode, flat type, floor level, access arrangement and whether the building has a managing agent.
Intended layout changes, kitchen or bathroom work, building services, flooring, structural alterations and final finishes.
Photographs, existing and proposed plans, specifications, structural information and relevant freeholder or managing-agent requirements.
Submitting an enquiry does not create a contract, grant permission or guarantee project availability. Suitability and next steps are confirmed after review and discussion.