Service charge – do I have to pay?

Service charge – do I have to pay?

10:21 AM, 19th April 2023, About A year ago 4

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Hello, I own my leasehold flat in a block of 14 apartments. The management company has hiked the service charge from £2,500 to £6,500 pa.

There is some work to be done on the garden due to land slip but we’ve had no section 20 notice.

Do we have to pay this in advance of the work taking place?

Thank you,

Kate


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Comments

Seething Landlord

12:00 PM, 19th April 2023, About A year ago

Read the lease first of all and if you are a shareholder in the management company exercise your right to attend the AGM.

You might well have to pay the service charge if it is in accordance with the lease. As far is I understand it, the S20 consultation would need to take place before the work is commissioned rather than before the money for it is raised, although it would usually be done the other way round unless they plan to raise the money over several years by establishing a sinking fund.

Freda Blogs

15:07 PM, 19th April 2023, About A year ago

How old is the block - are there any developer or contractor warranties still extant to deal with the landslip?

Kizzie

18:04 PM, 19th April 2023, About A year ago

You must comply with the lease and pay service charge. You have legal right under Landlord &tenant act 1985 section 21(1) to request a summary of costs for last accounting year. Lease-advice.org get a template letter to send to whoever your lease states is lessor or landlord (might be the management company) to whom you pay service charge under provisions of your lease.
Before major work in garden begins the landlord must consult leaseholders under section 20 landlord &tenant act and provide 3 quotes for the work

Kathryn Watson

16:21 PM, 21st April 2023, About A year ago

Thank you for the comments. Very helpful

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