CHI/OOHB/LSC/2020/0105 — service charge decision
In CHI/OOHB/LSC/2020/0105, decided 11 December 2022, the First-tier Tribunal considered 27 disputed service charge items at 20, 22 & 24 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol and found largely for the leaseholder: 9 items were reduced or disallowed. Full decision on GOV.UK below.
Property: 20, 22 & 24 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol
Decision date: 11 December 2022
Full decision: Read on GOV.UK
Managing agent named in the decision: Residential Management Group (RMG).
What was challenged and what the tribunal decided
| Item | Demanded | Allowed | Outcome | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other charges (2019-20) | £2,688 | £2,688 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2020-21) | £2,769 | £2,769 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2021-22) | £2,853 | £2,853 | Allowed in full | — |
| Utilities (2019-20) | £-3,844 | £-3,844 | Allowed in full | — |
| Utilities (2020-21) | £434 | £434 | Allowed in full | — |
| Utilities (2021-22) | £550 | £550 | Allowed in full | — |
| Cleaning (2019-20) | £0 | £0 | Allowed in full | — |
| Cleaning (2020-21) | £496 | £496 | Allowed in full | — |
| Cleaning (2021-22) | £600 | £600 | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2019-20) | £342 | £342 | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2020-21) | £570 | £570 | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2021-22) | £750 | £750 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2019-20) | £1,212 | £1,212 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2020-21) | £726 | £726 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2021-22) | £720 | £720 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2019-20) | £462.93 | £462.93 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2020-21) | £603 | £603 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2021-22) | £2,390 | £2,390 | Allowed in full | — |
| Gardening & grounds (2019-20) | £199 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost, Works not necessary |
| Gardening & grounds (2020-21) | £591 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost, Works not necessary |
| Gardening & grounds (2021-22) | £200 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost, Works not necessary |
| Administration charges (2019-20) | £1,386 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Apportionment error, Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Management fees (2019-20) | £850 | £1,000 | Reduced | Fee excessive for service delivered |
| Management fees (2020-21) | £1,606 | £1,000 | Reduced | Fee excessive for service delivered |
| Management fees (2021-22) | £1,654 | £1,000 | Reduced | Fee excessive for service delivered |
| Legal & professional costs (2020-21) | £900 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Other grounds |
| Other charges (2021-22) | £95 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
Section 20C order: granted.
Key passages (verbatim)
“the sums involved for the audit do appear to be on the high side, but the Tribunal was provided with no comparable figures from other providers by the Applicant and did not feel able to say that the charges were unreasonable”
“the charges for audit would be payable”
“the charges for audit would be payable”
“the Tribunal finds the electricity charges would be payable”
“the Tribunal finds the electricity charges would be payable”
“the Tribunal finds the electricity charges would be payable”
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.