LON/00BK/LSC/2024/0250 — service charge decision
In LON/00BK/LSC/2024/0250, decided 10 February 2025, the First-tier Tribunal considered 26 disputed service charge items at 17C Saltram Crescent, Maida Vale, London W9 3JR and reached a mixed result: 20 items were reduced or disallowed. Full decision on GOV.UK below.
Property: 17C Saltram Crescent, Maida Vale, London W9 3JR
Decision date: 10 February 2025
Full decision: Read on GOV.UK
Managing agent named in the decision: Marching Elephants Limited.
What was challenged and what the tribunal decided
| Item | Demanded | Allowed | Outcome | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management fees (2019) | £1,350 | £100 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Fee excessive for service delivered, Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Management fees (2020) | £1,450 | £100 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Fee excessive for service delivered, Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Management fees (2021) | £1,450 | £100 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Fee excessive for service delivered, Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Management fees (2022) | £1,450 | £100 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Fee excessive for service delivered, Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Management fees (2023) | £1,550 | £100 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Fee excessive for service delivered, Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Legal & professional costs (2019) | £850 | £350 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Legal & professional costs (2020) | £975 | £350 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Legal & professional costs (2021) | £1,000 | £350 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Legal & professional costs (2022) | £1,000 | £350 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Legal & professional costs (2023) | £1,000 | £350 | Reduced | Costs unreasonably incurred (s19(1)(a)), Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Cleaning (2019) | £600 | £600 | Allowed in full | — |
| Cleaning (2020) | £600 | £600 | Allowed in full | — |
| Cleaning (2021) | £620 | £620 | Allowed in full | — |
| Cleaning (2022) | £735 | £735 | Allowed in full | — |
| Cleaning (2023) | £780 | £780 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2019) | £90 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Other charges (2020) | £90 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Other charges (2021) | £90 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Other charges (2022) | £90 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Other charges (2023) | £90 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Administration charges (2019-2023) | £927.60 | £927.60 | Allowed in full | — |
| Administration charges (2019) | £89 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Administration charges (2020) | £89 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Administration charges (2021) | £89 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Administration charges (2022) | £89 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost |
| Administration charges (2023) | £89 | £0 | Disallowed entirely | Landlord could not evidence the cost |
Section 20C order: partial.
Key passages (verbatim)
“the Tribunal found that the management fees claimed for all of the relevant years was not reasonable... a reasonable management fee for the limited services provided by the Respondent was £300 in total for all years, being £100 per flat per year.”
“the Tribunal found that the management fees claimed for all of the relevant years was not reasonable... a reasonable management fee for the limited services provided by the Respondent was £300 in total for all years, being £100 per flat per year.”
“the Tribunal found that the management fees claimed for all of the relevant years was not reasonable... a reasonable management fee for the limited services provided by the Respondent was £300 in total for all years, being £100 per flat per year.”
“the Tribunal found that the management fees claimed for all of the relevant years was not reasonable... a reasonable management fee for the limited services provided by the Respondent was £300 in total for all years, being £100 per flat per year.”
“the Tribunal found that the management fees claimed for all of the relevant years was not reasonable... a reasonable management fee for the limited services provided by the Respondent was £300 in total for all years, being £100 per flat per year.”
“The service charge accounts before the Tribunal were no more than spreadsheets and were not certified... the Tribunal found that an accounts fee of £350 plus VAT for each of the service charge years was reasonable.”
“the Tribunal was faced with a hearing bundle comprised of 612 pages with unhelpful pagination that was not easy to navigate. In addition, the Respondent's evidence appeared in the bundle in a somewhat haphazard way.”
“The Tribunal attached no weight to the invoices from "Marching Elephants Limited" because it appears this company was invoicing itself.”
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.