LON/00AC/LBC/2025/0651 & others — service charge decision
In LON/00AC/LBC/2025/0651 & others, decided 2 March 2026, the First-tier Tribunal considered 4 disputed service charge items at 15 West End Lane, High Barnet, Hertfordshire, EN5 2SB and reached a mixed result: 3 items were reduced or disallowed. Full decision on GOV.UK below.
Property: 15 West End Lane, High Barnet, Hertfordshire, EN5 2SB
Decision date: 2 March 2026
Full decision: Read on GOV.UK
What was challenged and what the tribunal decided
| Item | Demanded | Allowed | Outcome | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Administration charges | £4,152 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Not payable under the lease |
| Legal & professional costs | £4,032 | £2,478 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Other charges | £1,440 | £1,440 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges | £30 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost |
Key passages (verbatim)
“The Tribunal finds that the costs incurred on the 'licence related work' were costs associated with the negotiations over the new lease and did not meet the requirements of clause 3(15).”
“The Tribunal decides that the Respondent is liable to pay the Applicant legal costs of £2,065 plus £413 VAT which makes a total of £2,478”
“surveyors' fee of £1,200 plus £240 VAT. The Tribunal notes that the Respondent has paid the surveyors' fee direct to the surveyor.”
“The Tribunal makes no order for disbursements of £30 including VAT.”
“This assertion is incorrect because the sub letting is still subject to the restriction of 'sub-lessee and his family'.”
“The Tribunal was not impressed with the contents of Miss Sarah Lopez's witness statement. Miss Lopez did not attend the hearing and as a result her evidence was not subject to cross examination. The letter from her GP did not state that she was unable to attend the hearing. Further her statement comprised a series of allegations about the Applicant's behaviour which were not relevant to the issues in dispute.”
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.