Guide
Licence to Alter and Interior Design in London
What a licence to alter is, why it matters before you plan a renovation, and how the studio coordinates the design information.
What is a licence to alter?
Most London flats are leasehold. The lease usually restricts structural or other significant changes without the freeholder's written consent. That consent is commonly given as a licence to alter, a formal document setting out what you may do and on what conditions.
Typical triggers include moving or removing internal walls, altering bathrooms and kitchens, new openings, changes to flooring, and work affecting services. What your own lease requires is a legal question for your solicitor.
Why it shapes the design
A layout that cannot be approved is a layout that cannot be built, so it is sensible to consider consent early. A design that respects the building's structure, services and neighbours is often easier for a freeholder to approve, and it keeps the project on a realistic path.
How the process typically runs
- 01
Read the lease
Your solicitor reviews the lease to establish which works need consent and what the freeholder will expect.
- 02
Define the proposal
We develop the interior-design intent: layouts, finishes and key details, so the proposal is clear.
- 03
Prepare the information
We coordinate design drawings and visuals with the architect, surveyor or engineer where their input is needed, in the form the solicitor requests.
- 04
Support the consent request
Interior-design information supports the client's consent request. Legal correspondence and licence terms are handled by the client's appointed solicitor where appropriate. We help answer questions on design matters.
- 05
Proceed once consent is given
Works begin only after the licence is in place, with the contractor working to the approved information.
Who does what
The studio provides interior-design information and coordinates it with the client's professional team. It can also introduce independent solicitors, architects and surveyors, who are separate from the studio and responsible for their own advice and services.
We do not provide legal advice, architectural or structural services. The studio does not grant consent or guarantee approval. Timescales, conditions and fees depend on the lease, the freeholder and their advisers.
Where to go next
See our full list of services, read about interior design in Notting Hill, where many homes are leasehold flats, or learn how we handle FF&E procurement once consent is in place.
Begin a Conversation
Planning alterations to a leasehold flat? Tell us about the property and we can discuss how the design information would be coordinated.
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