LON/00BB/LSC/2024/0102 — service charge decision
In LON/00BB/LSC/2024/0102, decided 26 February 2025, the First-tier Tribunal considered 19 disputed service charge items at 3 Maplin Road, Victoria Docks, E16 3EJ and reached a mixed result: 5 items were reduced or disallowed. Full decision on GOV.UK below.
Property: 3 Maplin Road, Victoria Docks, E16 3EJ
Decision date: 26 February 2025
Full decision: Read on GOV.UK
Managing agent named in the decision: FirstPort Property Services Limited.
What was challenged and what the tribunal decided
| Item | Demanded | Allowed | Outcome | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other charges (2022) | £1.22 | £1.22 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2023) | £2.17 | £2.17 | Allowed in full | — |
| Buildings insurance (2022) | £238.97 | £238.97 | Allowed in full | — |
| Buildings insurance (2023) | £169.84 | £169.84 | Allowed in full | — |
| Buildings insurance (2022) | £43.38 | £43.38 | Allowed in full | — |
| Buildings insurance (2023) | £29.72 | £29.72 | Allowed in full | — |
| Buildings insurance (2022) | £252 | £150 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Repairs & maintenance (2022) | £37.50 | £37.50 | Allowed in full | — |
| Management fees (2022) | £303 | £250 | Reduced | Fee excessive for service delivered |
| Management fees (2023) | £312 | £250 | Reduced | Fee excessive for service delivered |
| Other charges (2022) | £68 | £68 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2023) | £70 | £70 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2022) | £16 | £16 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2023) | £22.48 | £22.48 | Allowed in full | — |
| Reserve fund contributions (2022) | £837 | £837 | Allowed in full | — |
| Reserve fund contributions (2023) | £1,123.50 | £1,123.50 | Allowed in full | — |
| Legal & professional costs (2023) | £6.60 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Other charges (2023) | £15.55 | £15.55 | Allowed in full | — |
| Administration charges (2022) | £305 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
Section 20C order: granted.
Key passages (verbatim)
“The Tribunal determines that the amount of £2.44 for the year end December 2022 and £4.34 for the year end December 2023 was reasonable.”
“The Tribunal determines that the amount of £2.44 for the year end December 2022 and £4.34 for the year end December 2023 was reasonable.”
“The Tribunal determines that the amount payable in respect of insurance was reasonable. The Tribunal accepts the evidence of the Applicant that a broker had been used to obtain the best price.”
“The Tribunal determines that the amount payable in respect of insurance was reasonable.”
“The Tribunal determines that the amount payable was reasonable and in doing so accepts the Applicant's evidence that a broker was used to find the best price. The Tribunal finds that terrorism cover was reasonable given the Property's location.”
“The Tribunal determines that the amount payable was reasonable and in doing so accepts the Applicant's evidence that a broker was used to find the best price.”
“the communication from FirstPort was inadequate as detailed in paragraphs 50 and 51 below.”
“Whilst a standard letter setting out explanation of each service charge heading had been sent to leaseholders, the letter had lacked detail (an example of which was at pages 63 to 66 of the bundle).”
“The Tribunal accepts that the Respondent and Adenika Giwa (page 249 of the bundle) requested evidence of the record of repairs to justify the estimated amounts but did not receive a satisfactory reply.”
“The Respondent had been sent an estimated budget amount for general maintenance of £400 for both the years ending 31 December 2022 and 31 December 2023. This would have raised questions for the Respondent, especially as we now know that the actual amount spent on general maintenance for the year ending 31 December 2022 was £75 and was £0 for the year ending 31 December 2023.”
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.