LON/00BK/LSC/2023/0063 — service charge decision
In LON/00BK/LSC/2023/0063, decided 2 January 2024, the First-tier Tribunal considered 7 disputed service charge items at Flats 726, 211a, 315, 507 and 311a, Clive Court, 75 Maida Vale, London W9 1SG and reached a mixed result: 3 items were reduced or disallowed. Full decision on GOV.UK below.
Property: Flats 726, 211a, 315, 507 and 311a, Clive Court, 75 Maida Vale, London W9 1SG
Decision date: 2 January 2024
Full decision: Read on GOV.UK
What was challenged and what the tribunal decided
| Item | Demanded | Allowed | Outcome | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major works (2019) | £5,889.99 | £3,600 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)) |
| Major works (2019) | £25,200 | — | Reduced | No Section 20 consultation |
| Major works (2019) | £34,800 | — | Reduced | No Section 20 consultation |
| Major works (2020) | £118,232 | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Major works (2021) | — | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Utilities (2019) | — | — | Allowed in full | — |
| Buildings insurance (2019) | — | — | conceded | — |
Section 20C order: refused.
Key passages (verbatim)
“Applying our general knowledge and experience as an expert Tribunal and doing our best on the limited evidence available, the Tribunal finds that the sum paid to the roofers is outside the reasonable range of charges for the work described by Dr Baghaei-Yazdi. Accordingly... we find that the total sum payable falls to be reduced to £3,600 (including VAT).”
“The Tribunal finds that these costs are reasonable and that they are payable in full save in respect of charge to Flat 507. ... the charge to Flat 507 is limited to £250.”
“the Tribunal finds that these costs are reasonable and payable save insofar as they exceed £250 per flat because it is common ground that no section 20 consultation took place.”
“In all the circumstances, Tribunal finds that the sums claimed under this heading are reasonable and payable in full.”
“In all the circumstances, Tribunal finds that the sums claimed under this heading are reasonable and payable in full.”
“the Tribunal finds that the gas charges demanded from the Second to Fifth Applicants are payable in full.”
“This is not ideal but it does not invalidate the section 20 consultation process on the facts of this case because there is no evidence that the second contractor was aware of the first contractor's figures.”
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.