HAV/00HR/LSC/2025/0644 — service charge decision
In HAV/00HR/LSC/2025/0644, decided 1 December 2025, the First-tier Tribunal considered 12 disputed service charge items at Atlantic House, Ayton Drive, Portland, Dorset and reached a mixed result: 2 items were reduced or disallowed. Full decision on GOV.UK below.
Property: Atlantic House, Ayton Drive, Portland, Dorset
Decision date: 1 December 2025
Full decision: Read on GOV.UK
Managing agent named in the decision: Comer Property Management Limited.
What was challenged and what the tribunal decided
| Item | Demanded | Allowed | Outcome | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other charges (2024) | £4,140 | — | Withdrawn | Other grounds |
| Other charges (2024) | £144.28 | — | Withdrawn | Other grounds |
| Repairs & maintenance (2024) | £2,991 | — | Withdrawn | Other grounds |
| Legal & professional costs (2024) | £14,312 | — | Withdrawn | Other grounds |
| Buildings insurance (2024) | £2,180.62 | — | Withdrawn | Other grounds |
| Other charges (2024) | £17,475 | — | Withdrawn | Other grounds |
| Gardening & grounds (2024) | £1,600 | — | Withdrawn | Other grounds |
| Major works (2024) | £26,920.27 | £19,242 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2024) | £28,000 | £8,000 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Not payable under the lease |
| Management fees (2024) | £5,128.02 | £5,128.02 | Allowed in full | — |
| Utilities (2024) | £1,948.11 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Section 20B 18-month time limit |
| Cleaning (2024) | £834 | £834 | Allowed in full | — |
Section 20C order: partial.
Key passages (verbatim)
“Accountancy fees of £4,140, which the Respondent had agreed to withdraw”
“call centre charges of £144.28”
“work to doors of £2,991”
“costs of an application to building safety fund of £14,312, which the Respondent had agreed to withdraw”
“engineering insurance of £2,180.62”
“pool running costs of £17,475 as the Respondent confirmed that they had already credited this sum”
“The fact that this contract is with a company associated with the Respondent landlord is another matter that gives some cause for concern that items which parties would naturally expect to form part of the development of their flats or the estate and therefore already paid for, were being rented from an associated company to their landlord.”
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.