LON/00AE/LSC/2023/0317 — service charge decision
In LON/00AE/LSC/2023/0317, decided 5 November 2024, the First-tier Tribunal considered 37 disputed service charge items at Flat 14 and Flat 19, Talbot Court, Blackbird Hill, London and reached a mixed result: 27 items were reduced or disallowed. Full decision on GOV.UK below.
Property: Flat 14 and Flat 19, Talbot Court, Blackbird Hill, London
Decision date: 5 November 2024
Full decision: Read on GOV.UK
Managing agent named in the decision: Urang.
What was challenged and what the tribunal decided
| Item | Demanded | Allowed | Outcome | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Repairs & maintenance (2018-19) | — | £2,500 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Repairs & maintenance (2019-20) | £6,000 | £6,000 | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2020-21) | £5,000 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Repairs & maintenance (2021-22) | £5,000 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Cleaning (2018-19) | — | £500 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Cleaning (2019-20) | £3,000 | £3,000 | Allowed in full | — |
| Cleaning (2020-21) | £3,000 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Cleaning (2021-22) | £3,000 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Gardening & grounds (2018-19) | — | £500 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Gardening & grounds (2019-20) | £3,000 | £3,000 | Allowed in full | — |
| Gardening & grounds (2020-21) | £4,000 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Gardening & grounds (2021-22) | £4,000 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Utilities (2018-19) | — | £187.50 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Utilities (2019-20) | £1,000 | £1,000 | Allowed in full | — |
| Utilities (2020-21) | £900 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Utilities (2021-22) | £900 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Buildings insurance (2018-19) | — | £1,625 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Buildings insurance (2019-20) | £6,500 | £6,500 | Allowed in full | — |
| Buildings insurance (2020-21) | £6,500 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Buildings insurance (2021-22) | £8,000 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Management fees (2018-19) | — | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Not payable under the lease |
| Management fees (2019-20) | £6,270 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Not payable under the lease |
| Management fees (2020-21) | £5,940 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Not payable under the lease |
| Management fees (2021-22) | £6,240 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Not payable under the lease |
| Reserve fund contributions (2019-20) | £6,684 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Not payable under the lease |
| Reserve fund contributions (2020-21) | £5,000 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Not payable under the lease |
| Reserve fund contributions (2021-22) | £5,000 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Not payable under the lease |
| Major works (2020-21) | £9,892.23 | £9,892.23 | Allowed in full | — |
| Major works (2020-21) | £9,892.23 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Demand formally invalid |
| Administration charges (2020-21) | £300 | £300 | Allowed in full | — |
| Legal & professional costs (2018-19) | — | £125 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Legal & professional costs (2019-20) | £450 | £450 | Allowed in full | — |
| Legal & professional costs (2020-21) | £0 | £0 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2018-19) | — | £250 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Other charges (2019-20) | £1,500 | £1,500 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2020-21) | £1,000 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Other charges (2021-22) | £1,000 | £900 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
Key passages (verbatim)
“General building repairs £2,500 [allowed] for Dec 2018 – 25 Mar 2019”
“General building repairs £6,000 [allowed] for y/e 25 March 2020”
“it was not reasonable to demand similar, or larger sums on account for the same works and services in the years to March 2021 and March 2022 as it had in the year to March 2020 where the sums had not been spent”
“it was not reasonable to demand similar, or larger sums on account for the same works and services in the years to March 2021 and March 2022”
“General cleaning £500 [allowed] Dec 2018 – 25 Mar 2019”
“General cleaning £3,000 [allowed] y/e 25 March 2020”
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.