LON/00BG/LBC/2019/0117 — service charge decision
In LON/00BG/LBC/2019/0117, decided 31 August 2021, the First-tier Tribunal considered 49 disputed service charge items at Flat 50, Aegon House, 13 Lanark Square, London E14 9QD and reached a mixed result: 2 items were reduced or disallowed. Full decision on GOV.UK below.
Property: Flat 50, Aegon House, 13 Lanark Square, London E14 9QD
Decision date: 31 August 2021
Full decision: Read on GOV.UK
Managing agent named in the decision: HAUS.
What was challenged and what the tribunal decided
| Item | Demanded | Allowed | Outcome | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings insurance (2016) | £14,390.92 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Buildings insurance (2018) | £12,344.10 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Management fees (2016) | £16,200 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Management fees (2018) | £56,295.31 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Management fees (2016) | £10,000 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Management fees (2017) | £9,866.63 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Management fees (2018) | £14,817.84 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2016) | £420 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2017) | £419.88 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2018) | £360 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Legal & professional costs (2016) | £805.91 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Legal & professional costs (2017) | £928 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Not payable under the lease |
| Legal & professional costs (2018) | £597 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Administration charges (2016) | £2,400 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Administration charges (2018) | £2,000 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Administration charges (2016) | £300 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Utilities (2016) | £11,765.48 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Utilities (2017) | £16,607.29 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2016) | £372 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2017) | £3,375.95 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Cleaning (2016) | £10,573.05 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Cleaning (2017) | £8,785.98 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Cleaning (2018) | £8,325.43 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2016) | £5,365.16 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2017) | £4,775.82 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2018) | £2,676 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Cleaning (2016) | £1,344 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Cleaning (2017) | £2,515.95 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Cleaning (2018) | £2,976 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2016) | £3,336.05 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2017) | £12,041.70 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2018) | £3,320.57 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2016) | £20,189.36 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2017) | £28,893.98 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2018) | £27,055.62 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Lifts (2016) | £6,691.81 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Lifts (2017) | £10,862.01 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Lifts (2018) | £8,069.98 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2016) | £3,693.08 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2016) | £443.31 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2017) | £583.05 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2018) | £589.58 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2016) | £1,051.75 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2017) | £553.27 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2018) | £296.33 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2016) | £4.40 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2016) | £21,970.11 | £4,394 | Reduced | Not payable under the lease, Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Other charges (2017) | £611.46 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2018) | £11.79 | — | Allowed in full | — |
Section 20C order: conditional.
Key passages (verbatim)
“the Tribunal is satisfied that the insurance costs were reasonable and the resulting service charges are payable.”
“the Tribunal is satisfied that the insurance costs were reasonable and the resulting service charges are payable.”
“The service charges include such sums in accordance with paragraph 2 of Part I of the Sixth Schedule to the Applicant's lease. They are clearly payable.”
“The Tribunal had no basis on which to question the reasonableness of the estate charges.”
“the Tribunal is bound to find that the service charges arising from these fees are reasonable and payable.”
“the Tribunal is bound to find that the service charges arising from these fees are reasonable and payable.”
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.