HAV/00ML/LSC/2025/0683 — service charge decision
In HAV/00ML/LSC/2025/0683, decided 10 November 2025, the First-tier Tribunal considered 2 disputed service charge items at 199 New Church Road, Hove, BN3 4ED and reached a mixed result: 1 item was reduced or disallowed. Full decision on GOV.UK below.
Property: 199 New Church Road, Hove, BN3 4ED
Decision date: 10 November 2025
Full decision: Read on GOV.UK
What was challenged and what the tribunal decided
| Item | Demanded | Allowed | Outcome | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings insurance (2024-2025) | £437.63 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Not payable under the lease |
| Management fees (2024-2025) | £82.65 | £82.65 | Allowed in full | — |
Key passages (verbatim)
“Clause 6(d) contains no reference to insurance costs. There is an absence of any reference to insurance costs forming part of services that can be recharged under the lease.”
“The Tribunal finds the Respondent is liable to pay 50% of the total amount of management fees claimed, that being £82.65.”
“The Tribunal found that many of these arguments were not relevant to the Application nor were they supported by any evidence beyond a bare assertion which on every occasion the Applicant sets out a clear response to in his reply.”
“The Tribunal has carefully reviewed that previous decision and cannot see that the Tribunal was directed to interpret the lease terms nor is it clear on what basis that decision was reached. Whilst it is clearly unsatisfactory to have conflicting decisions from the Tribunal, it is the finding of this Tribunal that the Lease simply does not allow for recovery of the insurance costs as per the reasoning set out above in paragraphs 26 to 33 of this decision.”
“The Tribunal is mindful of the way the Respondent has conducted the matter and in light of previous findings by the Tribunal should have been aware of the likelihood that such management fees would be recoverable unless the amount claimed was unreasonable or had not been correctly demanded.”
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.