service charges underpaid

magali

In my service charges bill for 2010 i am asked to pay back an extra 224 pounds for the budget 2008 and 2009, because they made a mistake by charging me the service charge of a 2 beds flat instead of a 1 bed flat.
The 2 beds flat are cheaper because there is no staircase to clean.
Can i refuse to pay this bill or negotiate to pay only one out the 2 years for their mistake?

Fire_Fox

Did you not notice you were being undercharged? Doesn't sound like much extra to pay, have you asked to pay by installments? I suspect the following will not apply as technically you have been billed just not for the full amount:

"Normally the lease will provide for the service charge to be demanded in advance, but occasions will arise when the demands are issued after completion of the works or provision of the service. In these cases a statutory time limit applies: the landlord must issue the demand within 18 months of his incurring the cost. If the demand is provided later than this, the landlord cannot recover the costs at all, unless a notice is served during the 18 months stating that costs have been incurred and that the tenant will be required to contribute to them by payment of a service charge."
http://www.lease-advice.org/publications/documents/document.asp?item=14