CHI/00HN/LSC/2024/0089 — service charge decision
In CHI/00HN/LSC/2024/0089, decided 13 May 2025, the First-tier Tribunal considered 22 disputed service charge items at 336 Wimborne Road, Bournemouth, Dorset and reached a mixed result: 17 items were reduced or disallowed. Full decision on GOV.UK below.
Property: 336 Wimborne Road, Bournemouth, Dorset
Decision date: 13 May 2025
Full decision: Read on GOV.UK
Managing agent named in the decision: BML.
What was challenged and what the tribunal decided
| Item | Demanded | Allowed | Outcome | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings insurance (2020/2021) | £2,054.80 | £1,045 | Reduced | Insurance not market tested, Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Buildings insurance (2021/2022) | £3,070.60 | £1,210 | Reduced | Insurance not market tested, Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Buildings insurance (2022/2023) | £3,798.57 | £1,458 | Reduced | Insurance not market tested, Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Buildings insurance (2023/2024) | £3,988.40 | £1,749 | Reduced | Insurance not market tested, Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Cleaning (2020/2021) | — | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Not payable under the lease |
| Cleaning (2021/2022) | — | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Not payable under the lease |
| Cleaning (2022/2023) | — | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Not payable under the lease |
| Cleaning (2023/2024) | — | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Not payable under the lease |
| Other charges (2020/2021) | — | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Not payable under the lease |
| Repairs & maintenance (2020/2021) | £750 | £500 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Repairs & maintenance (2021/2022) | £1,374 | £550 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Repairs & maintenance (2022/2023) | £1,442.40 | £650 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Repairs & maintenance (2023/2024) | £1,500 | £750 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Major works (2021/2022) | £1,896 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Other grounds |
| Other charges (2022/2023) | — | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Legal & professional costs (2020/2021) | — | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Management fees (2020/2021) | — | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2020/2021) | — | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2020/2021) | — | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2021/2022) | £73.33 | — | Reduced | Apportionment error |
| Utilities (2023/2024) | — | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2023/2024) | — | — | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost |
Section 20C order: granted.
Key passages (verbatim)
“The Tribunal has concluded that the amounts charged to the Applicants are unreasonable in amount, appearing excessive when considered with other comparable insurance cover and conclude that a reasonable amount in respect of each year is as follows; 2020/2021 £995 plus a broker's fee of £50”
“2021/2022 £1,160 plus broker's fee of £50”
“2022/2023 £1,408 plus broker's fee of £50”
“A likely reasonable amount for 2023/2024 is £1699 plus broker's fee of £50”
“The Tribunal disagrees with this argument and makes a determination that window cleaning should be deleted from all service charges.”
“window cleaning should be deleted from all service charges”
“The Tribunal adds that it agrees that transparency is a key component of service charges and in the event that the Respondents utilise the services of BML then supporting invoices should be provided as well from contractors.”
“The Tribunal concluded that Mr Arabeh's explanation for these sums was not clear and could not follow with his explanation of multiple contractors working on site and during which periods.”
“it was very difficult to ascertain what were the correct invoice amounts as the invoices were raised by BML and all the contractors' invoices were not available to them and that this was not the correct way to manage the flats (invoicing coming through BML without supporting documentation.)”
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.