CHI/29UQ/LSC/2022/0117 — service charge decision
In CHI/29UQ/LSC/2022/0117, decided 1 June 2023, the First-tier Tribunal considered 4 disputed service charge items at Flat 26 Post Office Square, London Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent and found largely for the landlord: 0 items were reduced or disallowed. Full decision on GOV.UK below.
Property: Flat 26 Post Office Square, London Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Decision date: 1 June 2023
Full decision: Read on GOV.UK
Managing agent named in the decision: Office Square Management Ltd (Manager: Mr Labrum).
What was challenged and what the tribunal decided
| Item | Demanded | Allowed | Outcome | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lifts (2022-23) | £960 | £960 | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2022-23) | £1,000 | £1,000 | Allowed in full | — |
| Utilities (2022-23) | £1,040 | £1,040 | Allowed in full | — |
| Reserve fund contributions (2022-23) | £847 | £847 | Allowed in full | — |
Section 20C order: refused.
Key passages (verbatim)
“The division of that amount by 6, for each lift, result in an allocation to Lift No.6 of a cost of £960 … That approach cannot be faulted … Therefore this amount is payable in full”
“I note that it also includes cleaning, insurance and certification … this amount is allowed in full”
“the electricity estimate, although on the high side, is not so high as to fall outside the ambit of s.19(2) … Accordingly, this amount is allowed in full”
“10% is a sensible level at which to set the reserves and it follows that no deduction is made for that amount”
“He has also provided the Respondent's bank statement showing payments to British Gas. Presumably this is for electricity, but it is not clear how this supports his figure of £1,040 for each lift.”
“The maintenance items are a little harder to justify given that it seems on the high side. The Respondent has also not provided any evidence of actual cost incurred in previous years. This is despite saying that their estimate is based on historical actual cost.”
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.