LON/00AY/LSC/2024/0740 — service charge decision
In LON/00AY/LSC/2024/0740, decided 18 June 2025, the First-tier Tribunal considered 19 disputed service charge items at 79 Kingswood Road, London SW2 4JN and reached a mixed result: 17 items were reduced or disallowed. Full decision on GOV.UK below.
Property: 79 Kingswood Road, London SW2 4JN
Decision date: 18 June 2025
Full decision: Read on GOV.UK
Managing agent named in the decision: Blue Property Management Company UK Limited.
What was challenged and what the tribunal decided
| Item | Demanded | Allowed | Outcome | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings insurance (2021-2022) | £1,081.30 | — | Reduced | Undisclosed insurance commission, Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Buildings insurance (2022-2023) | £1,189.43 | — | Reduced | Undisclosed insurance commission, Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Buildings insurance (2023-2024) | £1,966.50 | — | Reduced | Undisclosed insurance commission, Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Buildings insurance (2024-2025) | £2,160.89 | — | Reduced | Undisclosed insurance commission, Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Other charges (2021-2022) | £180 | — | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Cleaning (2021-2022) | — | — | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Cleaning (2022-2023) | — | — | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Cleaning (2023-2024) | — | — | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Cleaning (2024-2025) | — | — | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Legal & professional costs (2022-2023) | — | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Legal & professional costs (2023-2024) | — | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Legal & professional costs (2021-2022) | — | — | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Management fees (2021-2022) | — | £250 | Reduced | Fee excessive for service delivered |
| Management fees (2022-2023) | £381 | £250 | Reduced | Fee excessive for service delivered |
| Management fees (2023-2024) | £484 | £250 | Reduced | Fee excessive for service delivered |
| Management fees (2024-2025) | £532 | £250 | Reduced | Fee excessive for service delivered |
| Other charges (2021-2022) | £895.12 | — | Disallowed entirely | Section 20B 18-month time limit |
| Administration charges (2021-2022) | — | — | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Other grounds |
| Other charges (2021-2022) | £741.40 | — | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
Section 20C order: granted.
Key passages (verbatim)
“the commission paid to the freeholder and the agent are high, particularly in the case of the agent, although its fees are low. The commission amounts in total to 38% of the latest premium”
“the commission paid to the freeholder and the agent are high, particularly in the case of the agent, although its fees are low.”
“the commission paid to the freeholder and the agent are high, particularly in the case of the agent, although its fees are low.”
“the commission paid to the freeholder and the agent are high, particularly in the case of the agent, although its fees are low.”
“The tribunal disallows this sum as the respondent provided no evidence of the valuation report.”
“the tribunal accepts in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, that no cleaning has been provided by the respondent and therefore disallows these costs in full.”
“the respondent failed to comply with the tribunal's direction and provide a response to the application.”
“having regard to the respondent's failure to engage with the applicant's enquiries”
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.