Question answered
What must be agreed before leasehold alteration work starts?
The direct answer
Check the lease first. Planning and Building Regulations approval do not replace landlord consent.
If the lease requires written consent for the proposed alterations, obtain that consent before starting the relevant work. The lease and the particular works determine the route. A licence to alter may also impose requirements affecting drawings, structural design, contractor information, insurance, deposits, working hours, access, inspections and reinstatement.
The readiness question is not merely whether an application has been sent to the managing agent. It is whether the correct landlord or freeholder has authority, whether the required package is complete, what remains under review, and which conditions must be satisfied before work or mobilisation.
Decision ruleTreat the executed licence and its pre-start conditions as project documents. Do not treat managing-agent acknowledgement as consent.
Why this matters
The decision sits across several workstreams.
The planning, building control and landlord routes answer different questions. One approval does not remove the need for another.
The landlord's professional team may request information that affects design, method, contractor selection and programme. Starting the process late can move a private consent onto the critical path.
Consent may be conditional. Fees, deposits, insurance, notices, schedules of condition, neighbour protection and inspection arrangements may need to be completed before the works begin.
The readiness test
Five checks to put on the record.
Lease and authority
Obtain advice on the alterations clauses and identify the party authorised to grant consent.
Evidence to identify: Lease, title information and solicitor's advice where required.Scope of works
Make the proposed alterations clear enough for the landlord's team to assess the actual effect on the building.
Evidence to identify: Existing and proposed drawings, specification and written scope.Technical package
Identify structural, services, acoustic, fire, waterproofing and method information requested for the particular works.
Evidence to identify: Calculations, reports, details, method statements and consultant confirmations.Contractor and building controls
Check contractor approval, insurance, access, protection, working hours, waste, deliveries and building-management rules.
Evidence to identify: Contractor details, insurance certificates, logistics plan and building rules.Licence conditions
Extract every pre-start, during-work and completion obligation and allocate it to the programme.
Evidence to identify: Executed licence, fee and deposit receipts, notices and condition schedule.What to do now
A controlled sequence for the owner.
Confirm the lease position
Ask the property solicitor which works require consent and whether any absolute restriction needs specific attention.
Request the landlord's process
Obtain the application requirements, contacts, professional fees and expected stages in writing.
Submit a coordinated package
Avoid sending partial information that cannot be assessed or that is inconsistent with the current design.
Track queries and changes
Keep a response schedule and identify changes made to satisfy the landlord's requirements.
Close pre-start conditions
Before work begins, check execution, payments, notices, contractor information and other licence requirements.
Warning signs
Pause and ask for clarity if any of these appear.
- The team assumes planning permission also grants landlord consent.
- The managing agent has acknowledged the proposal but no authorised consent has been issued.
- The licence package is based on outdated drawings.
- Landlord technical comments are being answered informally without a controlled response schedule.
- Licence conditions and building-management rules do not appear in the contractor's programme or scope.
From project experience
The practical pattern.
Licence readiness is often lost at interfaces. The architect may own drawings, the engineer calculations, the solicitor the document, and the managing agent the building process. The owner still needs one current schedule joining those parts together.
This is a professional observation, not a statistical claim or a project-specific conclusion.Questions to put on the record
Ask for answers that can be checked.
- What does the lease say about these particular alterations?
- Who has authority to consent and who administers the process?
- What is the complete submission package?
- Which fees, deposits, notices and contractor approvals apply?
- What remains outstanding before the licence can be executed?
- Which licence conditions affect mobilisation, access and the construction sequence?
Frequently asked questions
What owners usually ask next.
Do all leasehold alterations need a licence?
Not necessarily. The answer depends on the lease and the work. Obtain legal advice where the covenant or proposed alteration is unclear.
Can the design change after consent?
Changes should be checked against the consented package and licence. A variation may require further landlord review or written approval.
Is a share of freehold property exempt?
No general exemption should be assumed. The lease and the authority of the freehold company or other landlord still need to be checked.
Sources, editorial responsibility and boundaries
Published by: Planning & Project Advisory Ltd.
Editorial lead: Anthony Lilley. Planning, design coordination and owner-side project context.
Publication record: Published 26 August 2026. Professionally reviewed 3 September 2026. Geographic scope: England.
Method: Primary sources, professional observations and the use of drafting tools are explained in the editorial policy.
Limit: This material is general information. It is not legal advice, technical approval, a compliance certificate or authority to commence work.