LON/00AP/LSC/2022/0180 — service charge decision
In LON/00AP/LSC/2022/0180, decided 27 February 2023, the First-tier Tribunal considered 50 disputed service charge items at Flats 1, 3, 4, 5, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 22 and 23, Doran Manor, Great North Road, London and reached a mixed result: 8 items were reduced or disallowed. Full decision on GOV.UK below.
Property: Flats 1, 3, 4, 5, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 22 and 23, Doran Manor, Great North Road, London
Decision date: 27 February 2023
Full decision: Read on GOV.UK
What was challenged and what the tribunal decided
| Item | Demanded | Allowed | Outcome | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utilities (2018-19) | £1,251 | £1,251 | Allowed in full | — |
| Utilities (2019-20) | £1,421 | £1,411.71 | Allowed in full | — |
| Utilities (2020-21) | £1,363 | £1,363.11 | Allowed in full | — |
| Utilities (2021-22) | £1,450 | £1,319 | Allowed in full | — |
| Utilities (2022-23) | £1,551 | £1,551 | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2018-19) | £1,264 | £2,369.53 | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2019-20) | £2,369 | £2,369 | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2020-21) | £1,759 | £1,720.56 | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2021-22) | £1,500 | £1,500 | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2022-23) | £1,500 | £1,500 | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2018-19) | £358 | £358 | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2020-21) | £1,968 | £1,296 | Reduced | Not payable under the lease |
| Repairs & maintenance (2020-21) | £744 | £744 | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2019-20) | £2,030 | £2,030 | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2020-21) | £600 | £600 | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2021-22) | £1,000 | £1,460 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2019-20) | £261 | £261 | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2022-23) | £1,000 | £1,000 | Allowed in full | — |
| Cleaning (2018-19) | £7,224 | £7,224 | Allowed in full | — |
| Cleaning (2019-20) | £7,224 | £7,224 | Allowed in full | — |
| Cleaning (2020-21) | £7,085 | £7,085 | Allowed in full | — |
| Cleaning (2021-22) | £7,224 | £7,224 | Allowed in full | — |
| Cleaning (2022-23) | £7,500 | £7,500 | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2021-22) | £500 | £500 | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2022-23) | £750 | £750 | Allowed in full | — |
| Gardening & grounds (2018-19) | £4,296 | £2,808 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Gardening & grounds (2019-20) | £3,153 | £2,457 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Gardening & grounds (2020-21) | £2,808 | £2,808 | Allowed in full | — |
| Gardening & grounds (2021-22) | £2,808 | £2,808 | Allowed in full | — |
| Gardening & grounds (2021-22) | £1,818 | £1,818 | Allowed in full | — |
| Gardening & grounds (2022-23) | £2,808 | £2,808 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2020-21) | £1,034 | £1,034 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2021-22) | £1,050 | £1,050 | Allowed in full | — |
| Buildings insurance (2020-21) | £8,168 | £8,168 | Allowed in full | — |
| Buildings insurance (2021-22) | £7,290 | £8,820 | Allowed in full | — |
| Buildings insurance (2022-23) | £8,985 | £8,985 | Allowed in full | — |
| Buildings insurance (2018-19) | £1,848 | £1,848 | Allowed in full | — |
| Buildings insurance (2019-20) | £1,922 | £1,922 | Allowed in full | — |
| Buildings insurance (2020-21) | £2,617 | £2,617 | Allowed in full | — |
| Buildings insurance (2021-22) | £2,360 | £2,360 | Allowed in full | — |
| Buildings insurance (2022-23) | £2,879 | £2,879 | Allowed in full | — |
| Management fees (2018-19) | £3,456 | £2,419.20 | Reduced | Fee excessive for service delivered |
| Management fees (2019-20) | £4,800 | £3,360 | Reduced | Fee excessive for service delivered |
| Management fees (2020-21) | £6,000 | £4,200 | Reduced | Fee excessive for service delivered |
| Management fees (2021-22) | £7,200 | £5,040 | Reduced | Fee excessive for service delivered |
| Management fees (2022-23) | £7,200 | £5,040 | Reduced | Fee excessive for service delivered |
| Reserve fund contributions (2019-20) | £50,250 | £50,250 | Allowed in full | — |
| Reserve fund contributions (2020-21) | £50,250 | £50,250 | Allowed in full | — |
| Reserve fund contributions (2021-22) | £59,000 | £59,000 | Allowed in full | — |
| Reserve fund contributions (2022-23) | £75,000 | £75,000 | Allowed in full | — |
Section 20C order: granted.
Key passages (verbatim)
“the tribunal determines that the actual amounts payable in respect of communal electricity are the costs incurred by the Respondent in each year and the budgeted cost for the year to 31 March 2023, and that these costs are reasonable.”
“the tribunal determines that the actual amounts payable in respect of communal electricity are the costs incurred by the Respondent in each year and the budgeted cost for the year to 31 March 2023, and that these costs are reasonable.”
“the tribunal determines that the actual amounts payable in respect of communal electricity are the costs incurred by the Respondent in each year and the budgeted cost for the year to 31 March 2023, and that these costs are reasonable.”
“the tribunal determines that the actual amounts payable in respect of communal electricity are the costs incurred by the Respondent in each year and the budgeted cost for the year to 31 March 2023, and that these costs are reasonable.”
“the tribunal determines that the actual amounts payable in respect of communal electricity are the costs incurred by the Respondent in each year and the budgeted cost for the year to 31 March 2023, and that these costs are reasonable.”
“The tribunal determines that the actual amounts payable in respect of the electrical repairs are the costs incurred by the Respondent in each year and the budgeted cost for the year to 31 March 2023, and that these costs are reasonable.”
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.