All flats require maintenance, repairs, improvements and such like from time to time.  These have to be paid for and this achieved by making a charge upon each flat owner called a service charge.  Flat owners often want the highest-quality maintenance at the lowest cost possible, and achieving this delicate balance is not always easy.  As a result, service charges have probably become the most frequent and contentious source of dispute between flat owners, building owners and managing agents.

This section is full of articles where you can discover what a service charge is, when and how it can be collected, what it can be used for, in what circumstances it can be challenged as well as lots of further information about the law of service charges. If you have more questions, require further clarification, or want to suggest an article don’t forget to contact us, comment on an article or leave a comment in our forum.

In Conclusion- Service Charge Misery

Charging for service

Whenever a managing agent isn’t doing their job properly, at some point, at least one leaseholder will undoubtedly utter a variation on the phrase “what are we paying this service charge for when we aren’t getting any service?” But contrary to popular belief, the service charge doesn’t just disappear into the managing agent’s pocket.

New service charge demands

Helen Matthews, Partner and Head of Contentious Property at Bolt Burdon writes that from 1 October 2007 every demand for service charges must provide leaseholders with information on their rights in relation to those charges...

Held to account

Leaseholders pay substantial sums in service charges to their landlords every year, so you would expect that there would be a requirement for landlords to give in return a statement of account of how the service charges were spent. Not so, says John Mills of the Association of Retirement Housing Managers.

You Have The Right To Know

One of Labour’s main election platforms in 1997 was to continue the trend towards leasehold reform, began (albeit in a somewhat flawed fashion) in 1993 and improved in 1996. Mira Bar-Hillel takes up the story…

How To Avoid Paying Your Service Charge - The Secrets Revealed

October 1, 2007 is a date all leaseholders should have in their diary. From this date, you will be legally entitled to withhold your service and administration charges from your landlord if he or she fails to provide you with a summary of rights and obligations in respect of these demands. In other words: no summary of rights and obligations, no service and administration payments.

At Your Service

Over the last twenty years, the private residential retirement housing market has steadily developed, as more people have realised the benefits of this type of accommodation and due to an increasingly ageing population.

No service please – we’re British

Sir, Customer service must be two of the most overused words in the English vocabulary – well those and “we care!”

Debt counselling - A solution for arrears of rent and service charge?

Are you being served? You and your service charges

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In Conclusion- Service Charge Misery

In Conclusion - Jazzing Up Leasehold Reform

In Conclusion - The Blight Of Leasehold Buy-to-Let

In Conclusion - Wife Escapes to North Pole as Agent Takes to the Stage

THE POLICY MOST OFTEN FORGOTTEN

Why flat owners should not forget their personal property..

Keeping your flats secure

James Hall at Lampier offers his company’s view on the policies you may need. 

WILL YOUR INSURANCE POLICY ACTUALLY PROTECT YOU?

John Byers looks at the sensitive topic of under-insurance.

Cause and effect

Jonathan Walker, of Stride Ltd, assesses the impact of the credit crunch on the property insurance market.

IT’S FOLLY TO CUT CORNERS

You need specialist flat protection? Then you require a broker to guide you...