LON/00AH/LBC/2025/0641 — service charge decision
In LON/00AH/LBC/2025/0641, decided 21 April 2026, the First-tier Tribunal considered 5 disputed service charge items at 12B Cotford Road, Thornton Heath, London and found largely for the landlord: 5 items were reduced or disallowed. Full decision on GOV.UK below.
Property: 12B Cotford Road, Thornton Heath, London
Decision date: 21 April 2026
Full decision: Read on GOV.UK
What was challenged and what the tribunal decided
| Item | Demanded | Allowed | Outcome | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground-rent-adjacent charges (2021-2025) | £400 | — | Disallowed entirely | Demand formally invalid, Other grounds |
| Utilities (2020-2025) | £285 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Demand formally invalid, No Section 21B summary of rights, Other grounds |
| Cleaning (2020-2025) | £285 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Demand formally invalid, No Section 21B summary of rights, Other grounds |
| Repairs & maintenance (2024) | £525 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Demand formally invalid, No Section 21B summary of rights, Landlord could not evidence the cost, Other grounds |
| Buildings insurance (2021-2022) | £257.74 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Demand formally invalid, No Section 21B summary of rights, Other grounds |
Key passages (verbatim)
“No notice in the prescribed form and meeting the statutory requirements has been served, the Respondent is not liable to pay the Ground Rent. Despite the fact that it was not and has not been paid, there is, therefore, no breach of the Lease.”
“no address was given for the Applicant which is required by s.47 Landlord and Tenant Act 1987; contrary to s.21B Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, no summary of tenant's rights and obligations accompanied the demands.”
“no address was given for the Applicant which is required by s.47 Landlord and Tenant Act 1987; contrary to s.21B Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, no summary of tenant's rights and obligations accompanied the demands.”
“no address was given for the Applicant which is required by s.47 Landlord and Tenant Act 1987; contrary to s.21B Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, no summary of tenant's rights and obligations accompanied the demands.”
“no address was given for the Applicant which is required by s.47 Landlord and Tenant Act 1987; contrary to s.21B Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, no summary of tenant's rights and obligations accompanied the demands.”
“The Tribunal has not had regard to this (and informed the parties of this at the hearing) as it had not been sent to the Respondent (and, indeed, stated that the Applicant wanted documents attached to it to be kept confidential and were not to be shared with the Respondent) and it exhibited some 'without prejudice' correspondence.”
“It was established that the Applicant did not have a copy of her own bundle, nor of the Respondent's documents. There was a pause whilst a copy of the bundle and the Respondent's witness statement was printed off for her.”
“All of this casts doubt on the credibility of the Applicant in terms of this evidence (and the Tribunal would have to be satisfied that Mr. Muhammad did refer to the Respondent as his 'landlady' and/or that the contents of the conversation when he is said to have viewed the Property was such that it showed that he was a prospective tenant – it is not so satisfied).”
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.