Freeholder charges for managing repairs

I own the whole freehold of a 1900s house, that needed a new front half of the roof replaced. The house is two leasehold flats and I own the ground floor flat. The cost of the roof is £7,000 to be split between me and the other leaseholder. Can I as freeholder make a further charge to the other leaseholder, for the time spent, managing the roofer, getting estimates, checking on the work, requesting faults be corrected, having to be on the site etc? I have been up and down the ladder and scaffold so many times. I have not been able to carry out my own work on another flat to bring to rental. I have had to chase the roofer to refit parts of the roof to future proof, requiring parts of the new roof slates to be refitted. I have to go to the site to check any snagging issues promptly, this requires me being available at short notice to get the job checked to satisfaction. Sorry for the long message and many thanks. Advise much appreciated.

That does sound like hard work m8

Many thanks for your kind respnse.

Management companies do charge a % .But logic tells me if you did not agree a “managing” fee you cannot do so retrospectively

What does your lease say about management fees and/or employing a managing agent and/or charging a fee if an agent is not used? Some leases may not allow the appointment of the freeholder as the managing agent. This will be in the service charge provisions.

Yes it’s definitely down to the lease. You might need legal advice on what you can charge. You’d probably have to pay for that advice.

Companies who manage freeholds seem to make money at it but situations like yours don’t generally seem so beneficial!

One other option is simply to make a charge and see what happens!

We own a leasehold flat in a block of 4 where the freehold is owned by one flat. At one point they started charging 10% on top, but that stopped when one of the lease holders objected!

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