CAM/26UH/LIS/2022/0019 — service charge decision
In CAM/26UH/LIS/2022/0019, decided 9 October 2023, the First-tier Tribunal considered 7 disputed service charge items at 6 Ross Court, Stevenage, Hertfordshire and reached a mixed result: 6 items were reduced or disallowed. Full decision on GOV.UK below.
Property: 6 Ross Court, Stevenage, Hertfordshire
Decision date: 9 October 2023
Full decision: Read on GOV.UK
What was challenged and what the tribunal decided
| Item | Demanded | Allowed | Outcome | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other charges (2016-2017) | £342.72 | £342.72 | conceded | — |
| Other charges (2017-2018) | £684 | £325 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Other charges (2018-2019) | £739.20 | £325 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Other charges (2019-2020) | £621.12 | £350 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Other charges (2020-2021) | £806.88 | £350 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Other charges (2021-2022) | £1,149.12 | £375 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Other charges (2022-2023) | £631.20 | £400 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Landlord could not evidence the cost |
Key passages (verbatim)
“the total fire protection cost of £342.72 per annum (£7.14 per week spread over 48 weeks) during the hearing this was accepted by the applicant as reasonable as he recalled there may have been some costs in addition to the inspection and service.”
“for 2017-2018 £325 (£6.77 per week)”
“for 2018-2019 £325 (£6.77 per week)”
“for 2019-2000 £350 (£7.29 per week)”
“for 2020-2021 £350 (£7.29 per week)”
“for 2021-2022 £375 (£7.81 per week)”
“Despite the directions orders the respondent landlord has not filed with the tribunal the schedule of non-supported services, any Scott schedule responding to the application, any statement addressing the relevant tenancy provisions, any legal submissions on liability and reasonableness, or any statements of witnesses to be relied upon. Other than filing the tenancy agreement in March 2023 the respondent has failed to comply with directions or otherwise reply to the tribunal orders and directions or otherwise engage with the proceedings. It failed to attend the hearing despite notice of the same and without explanation.”
“The respondent has not engaged in any way on the issue of the reasonableness of the service charges. It follows that the tribunal must do the best it can on the evidence and information before it and having regard to its own knowledge of the market as an expert tribunal.”
This summary is assembled from the structured record of the published decision; amounts appear only where the tribunal stated them. Always rely on the full decision itself.