LON/00AT/LSC/2024/0131 — service charge decision
In LON/00AT/LSC/2024/0131, decided 23 February 2025, the First-tier Tribunal considered 9 disputed service charge items at Flat 13 Concord Court Palladian Gardens London W4 2ER and reached a mixed result: 3 items were reduced or disallowed. Full decision on GOV.UK below.
Property: Flat 13 Concord Court Palladian Gardens London W4 2ER
Decision date: 23 February 2025
Full decision: Read on GOV.UK
Managing agent named in the decision: Rendall and Rittner.
What was challenged and what the tribunal decided
| Item | Demanded | Allowed | Outcome | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management fees (2022-23) | £258.80 | £150 | Reduced | Fee excessive for service delivered |
| Management fees (2023-24) | £258.80 | £150 | Reduced | Fee excessive for service delivered |
| Management fees (2024-25) | £150 | £150 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2022-23) | £18.84 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2023-24) | £18.84 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2024-25) | £9 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Utilities (2022-23) | — | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Utilities (2023-24) | — | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2023-24) | — | — | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
Section 20C order: granted.
Key passages (verbatim)
“The Tribunal considers that the benchmark figure should be £150 per annum for this work had the head leaseholder's management been carried out to a satisfactory standard.”
“The Tribunal considers that the benchmark figure should be £150 per annum for this work had the head leaseholder's management been carried out to a satisfactory standard.”
“the management fee for 2024/5 had been reduced to £150 owing to economies of scale.”
“MHTL has also charged an audit fee of £18.84 for the first 2 years and £9 for the third year in issue. This was undertaken by an external auditing firm.”
“MHTL has also charged an audit fee of £18.84 for the first 2 years and £9 for the third year in issue.”
“MHTL has also charged an audit fee of £18.84 for the first 2 years and £9 for the third year in issue.”
“the tribunal agree with the Applicant that the accounts and invoicing are opaque and difficult to follow.”
“poor communication and opaque invoicing had contributed substantially to the need for the application to be made to the Tribunal.”
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.