LON/00BK/LSC/2025/0902 — service charge decision
In LON/00BK/LSC/2025/0902, decided 25 June 2026, the First-tier Tribunal considered 15 disputed service charge items at Apartment 20, 21 Sheldon Square, Paddington, London W2 6DS and reached a mixed result: 2 items were reduced or disallowed. Full decision on GOV.UK below.
Property: Apartment 20, 21 Sheldon Square, Paddington, London W2 6DS
Decision date: 25 June 2026
Full decision: Read on GOV.UK
Managing agent named in the decision: First Port Property Services Ltd.
What was challenged and what the tribunal decided
| Item | Demanded | Allowed | Outcome | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reserve fund contributions (2023) | £343.10 | £343.10 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2023) | £1,772.50 | £1,772.50 | Allowed in full | — |
| Utilities (2023) | £2,608.79 | £2,608.79 | Allowed in full | — |
| Cleaning (2023) | £223.21 | £223.21 | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2023) | £575.27 | £575.27 | Allowed in full | — |
| Reserve fund contributions (2023) | £1,607.89 | £1,607.89 | Allowed in full | — |
| Management fees (2023) | £413.49 | £200 | Reduced | Fee excessive for service delivered, Other grounds |
| Reserve fund contributions (2024) | £504.14 | £504.14 | Allowed in full | — |
| Other charges (2024) | £1,978.83 | £1,978.83 | Allowed in full | — |
| Utilities (2024) | £1,318.43 | £1,318.43 | Allowed in full | — |
| Repairs & maintenance (2024) | £894.63 | £894.63 | Allowed in full | — |
| Reserve fund contributions (2024) | £12,601.87 | £12,601.87 | Allowed in full | — |
| Management fees (2024) | £430.03 | £200 | Reduced | Fee excessive for service delivered, Other grounds |
| Administration charges (2023) | £350 | £0 | conceded | — |
| Staffing & concierge (2023) | — | — | Allowed in full | — |
Section 20C order: refused.
Key passages (verbatim)
“The tribunal determines that the Applicant has failed to make out a primae facie case in relation to the building reserve fund contributions... It follows that they are payable by the Applicants for the service charge years 2022/2023 and 2023/2024”
“The tribunal determines that the Applicant has failed to make out a primae facie case in relation to... the remaining freeholder estate costs... It follows that they are payable by the Applicants”
“we cannot be satisfied that the sum demanded by the Respondent for the years in dispute was unreasonable.”
“The tribunal determines that the Applicant has failed to make out a primae facie case in relation to... the cleaning costs for 2023 insofar as they are challenged.”
“the repair charges are payable in relation to both of the years in dispute.”
“we are satisfied the Applicants have failed to make out a primae facie case in relation to the block reserve funds... the sums demanded are reasonable and payable.”
“It should have been obvious that the HVAC systems serving 21 Sheldon Square had a finite life span and in our view neither the Respondent nor their managing agent had adequately prepared for their inevitable decline and failure. We find it surprising that more serious consideration was not given to this issue prior to 2021.”
“we do not think that it is acceptable that the Applicants have been left without any proper heating or ventilation for over 6 years.”
“We were not impressed by the fact that their case, which was reasonably clearly set out in their initial application, was subject to so much change in the course of the proceedings. In addition we consider that the Applicants failed to put their case clearly, making it difficult for the Respondent to know the case that they had to meet.”
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.