Service Charges

[Jenksty]

Hi,

I’m brand new to this group so I’m sorry if this topic has been covered.

I live in a 26, 3 story apartment block. I moved in 7yrs ago and there’s always been electric panel heaters in the hallways and stairwells. For about the last 4yrs I’ve emailed asking for the heaters to be switched on/off. Eventually a 3rd party company have always appeared and last year, they even replaced 3 faulty heaters.

This year because of the ridiculous amount of time this takes me, I raised a complaint and the situation was resolved perfectly.

On Friday I received a letter from landlord which told me there’s an investigation going on, a senior manager is investigating and there will be implications for myself, other tenants and other blocks, because we DONT pay a service charge.

Now I know the rent is higher than other properties they own but there’s lighting, cleaners and even grounds maintenance people that call. The heaters are in beautiful hallways with fully fitted clean carpets.

Of course I was distressed by this letter thinking ‘what will happen. It was only when I was crying to a neighbour that she told me ‘that’s wrong we do pay and service charge and gave me the figures’

Now she only knows about this service charge because the landlord disputed her UC claim when she put down that she didn’t pay one. She I’m unaware if we do pay one coz the rent usually just comes as 1 figure.

I’ve asked 2 other neighbours, one tells me year it’s about £10 a week (which is in line with the first neighbour amount that the landlord quoted) and another who said ‘yeah it’s included in the rent’

So I’m wondering if anyone has any previous experience with service charges and landlords.

This landlord has told the DWP that my neighbour does pay a service charge, yet the landlords complaints department are investigating as they’ve told me we do.

Any advice would be much appreciated

[David122]

I’m assuming that you and your neighbours are AST tenants and that your landlord is the leaseholder. If this is not correct then please explain. The service charge is down to the leaseholder to pay, not the tenant. The landlord can only charge you rent and certain limited fees. I’m not sure what was meant by that letter. You would need to quote it verbatim. I think its possible that the leaseholder is having to pay increased service charges to cover the replacement of the heaters and that they are intending to increase your rent to recover their costs.