LON/00AQ/LSC/2019/0453 — service charge decision
In LON/00AQ/LSC/2019/0453, decided 24 March 2020, the First-tier Tribunal considered 12 disputed service charge items at 24 Sussex Road, Harrow and reached a mixed result: 11 items were reduced or disallowed. Full decision on GOV.UK below.
Property: 24 Sussex Road, Harrow
Decision date: 24 March 2020
Full decision: Read on GOV.UK
What was challenged and what the tribunal decided
| Item | Demanded | Allowed | Outcome | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Repairs & maintenance (2014-2016) | £270 | — | Disallowed entirely | Section 20B 18-month time limit |
| Repairs & maintenance (2014) | £120 | — | Disallowed entirely | Section 20B 18-month time limit |
| Other charges (2014-2017) | £250 | — | Disallowed entirely | Section 20B 18-month time limit |
| Legal & professional costs (2014-2017) | £200 | — | Disallowed entirely | Section 20B 18-month time limit |
| Buildings insurance (2014-2017) | £311.60 | — | Disallowed entirely | Section 20B 18-month time limit |
| Repairs & maintenance (2018-2019) | £150 | £25 | Reduced | Apportionment error |
| Buildings insurance (2018-2019) | £669.74 | £334.87 | Reduced | Other grounds |
| Repairs & maintenance (2018-2019) | £1,980 | £330 | Reduced | Apportionment error |
| Repairs & maintenance (2018-2019) | £1,943.35 | £1,943.35 | Allowed in full | — |
| Major works (2018-2019) | £3,398.27 | £1,699.14 | Reduced | Apportionment error |
| Cleaning (2018-2019) | £68.16 | £15 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Management fees (2018-2019) | £1,576 | £226 | Reduced | Landlord could not evidence the cost |
Section 20ZA dispensation: granted.
Key passages (verbatim)
“Maintenance of front 2014: £90 / Maintenance of Front 2015: £90 / Maintenance of Front 2016: £90 — excluded works are those carried out 18 months before 1st May 2019 i.e. all works up to 30th November 2017.”
“Roof works: £120 — excluded works are those carried out 18 months before 1st May 2019.”
“Sound insulation: £250 — excluded works are those carried out 18 months before 1st May 2019.”
“Solicitors letter: £200 — excluded works are those carried out 18 months before 1st May 2019.”
“Buildings Insurance: £311.60 — excluded works are those carried out 18 months before 1st May 2019.”
“It is accepted by the Tribunal that the Applicant should only pay 1/6 of the total cost which properly reflects the extent of the easement. This amounts to £25.”
“The Respondent produced a counter schedule which was difficult to read due to the size of the font.”
“The Tribunal has no doubt that the Respondent has spent a lot of time on the management of the premises and dealing with the Applicant. Nevertheless, he failed to produce any invoices for his administration costs and therefore these are not allowed.”
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.