CHI/24UD/LSC/2021/0001 — service charge decision
In CHI/24UD/LSC/2021/0001, decided 29 April 2021, the First-tier Tribunal considered 12 disputed service charge items at 58 Tinning Way, Eastleigh, Hants SO50 9QH and found largely for the landlord: 0 items were reduced or disallowed. Full decision on GOV.UK below.
Property: 58 Tinning Way, Eastleigh, Hants SO50 9QH
Decision date: 29 April 2021
Full decision: Read on GOV.UK
Managing agent named in the decision: Trinity Estates.
What was challenged and what the tribunal decided
| Item | Demanded | Allowed | Outcome | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other charges (2020-21) | £1,540.43 | £1,540.43 | Allowed in full | — |
| Gardening & grounds (2020-21) | £5,610 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2020-21) | £1,432 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2020-21) | £4,800 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Management fees (2020-21) | £6,798 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Reserve fund contributions (2020-21) | £2,400 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2020-21) | £2,709 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2020-21) | £2,422 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2020-21) | £7,400 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Management fees (2020-21) | £5,128 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Reserve fund contributions (2020-21) | £3,700 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Reserve fund contributions (2020-21) | £3,700 | — | Allowed in full | — |
Section 20C order: refused.
Key passages (verbatim)
“the Tribunal determines that the charge of £1,540.43 being the tenant's share of the budgeted expenditure for 2020/21 is both reasonable and payable.”
“£5,610 for Landscape maintenance is too much for a small garden.”
“Vehicle barrier/ Roller shutter - £1,432 - we have paid for its installation.”
“General Repairs and Maintenance - £4,800 ... The price is unreasonable and the landlord should show audited accounts.”
“Management fee - £6,798- the management are not based on premises and duplicates Repairs and Maintenance.”
“Estate Sinking Fund - £2,400- What is it and where is the balance. Overlaps with Repairs and Maintenance”
“It should have been clear from the observations made in paragraph 4 of Judge Morrison's Directions that the application as made had limited chance of success. Despite this the Applicant proceeded to raise matters which were clearly outside of the Tribunal's jurisdiction.”
“I have some doubts as to the need for the effort that the Respondent has clearly made in defending the application given the palpable weakness of the Application but they clearly felt obliged to do so and were wholly successful.”
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.