LON/00AH/LAM/2020/0025 — service charge decision
In LON/00AH/LAM/2020/0025, decided 23 May 2022, the First-tier Tribunal considered 12 disputed service charge items at 5 St Peters Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 1HL and reached a mixed result: 4 items were reduced or disallowed. Full decision on GOV.UK below.
Property: 5 St Peters Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 1HL
Decision date: 23 May 2022
Full decision: Read on GOV.UK
Managing agent named in the decision: Cure Building Management.
What was challenged and what the tribunal decided
| Item | Demanded | Allowed | Outcome | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other charges (2017) | — | £-992.65 | Allowed in full | Other grounds |
| Major works (2018) | £13,886.25 | £11,017 | Reduced | Poor standard of work |
| Management fees (2018) | £1,560 | £1,560 | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2018) | £5,794.20 | £5,794.20 | Allowed in full | — |
| Management fees (2019) | £1,210 | £1,210 | Allowed in full | — |
| Legal & professional costs (2019) | £1,665 | £400 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Fee excessive for service delivered |
| Management fees (2020) | £1,369 | £1,369 | Allowed in full | — |
| Legal & professional costs (2020) | £4,705 | £1,000 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Fee excessive for service delivered, Duplication of charges |
| Repairs & maintenance (2020) | £720 | £720 | Allowed in full | — |
| Cleaning (2020) | £94 | £94 | Allowed in full | — |
| Major works (2021) | — | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Major works (2021) | — | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Works not necessary, Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
Section 20C order: granted.
Key passages (verbatim)
“the credit to each tenant should have been £992.65”
“We have disallowed £2,880. The total cost that was reasonably incurred was £44,068, namely £11,017 for each tenant.”
“Jacksons' fee, excluding VAT, was £325 per flat. This is at the lower end of the scale. The Tribunal is satisfied that the management fee is reasonable and payable.”
“The service charge expenditure for 2018 (excluding the major works) was £5,794.20. We are satisfied that this was reasonable and payable. Ms Stradling's 25% liability was £1,448.55.”
“A sum of £1,210 is charged for the basic management fee. This is £302.50 per flat. No VAT is charged. This is manifestly reasonable.”
“The Tribunal is willing to allow £400 which is sufficient to cover the issuing of one Section 20 Notice of Intent.”
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.