LON/00BB/LSC/2020/0288 — service charge decision
In LON/00BB/LSC/2020/0288, decided 20 May 2021, the First-tier Tribunal considered 6 disputed service charge items at Flats 1–49 Oceanis Apartments, 19 Seagull Lane, London E16 1BY and reached a mixed result: 2 items were reduced or disallowed. Full decision on GOV.UK below.
Property: Flats 1–49 Oceanis Apartments, 19 Seagull Lane, London E16 1BY
Decision date: 20 May 2021
Full decision: Read on GOV.UK
Managing agent named in the decision: First Port Bespoke Property Services Ltd.
What was challenged and what the tribunal decided
| Item | Demanded | Allowed | Outcome | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management fees (2008-9 to 2014-15) | — | £75 | Allowed in full | — |
| Management fees (2015-16) | — | £135 | Allowed in full | — |
| Management fees (2016-17 to 2018-19) | — | £185 | Allowed in full | — |
| Management fees (2019-20 to date) | — | £160 | Allowed in full | — |
| Administration charges (2008-9 to 2018-19) | — | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Fee excessive for service delivered, Duplication of charges |
| Administration charges (2019-20 to 2020-21) | — | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Fee excessive for service delivered, Duplication of charges |
Section 20C order: granted.
Key passages (verbatim)
“the standard management fees are payable, the administration charges are not payable and should be refunded within 28 days of this decision.”
“The reasonable management fees in the circumstances of the present case are limited to the following amounts”
“The reasonable management fees in the circumstances of the present case are limited to the following amounts”
“The reasonable management fees in the circumstances of the present case are limited to the following amounts”
“An additional 5% or in later years 15% fee for this service is wholly unreasonable, given Clarion is also charging the Lessees a management fee.”
“An additional 5% or in later years 15% fee for this service is wholly unreasonable, given Clarion is also charging the Lessees a management fee.”
“The supporting paperwork over a prolonged period of time had effectively hidden the total charges being levied by the Respondent.”
“He confirmed that historically Clarion had not challenged First Port regarding the budgets, he did not dispute that the budgets had been very full on several occasions.”
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.