Service charges what do they cover?

yinka_2

I am near to exchange on a leasehold flat and have a query about the maintainence company. My survey highlighed the point 'that an improved standard of cleaning would be beneficial' in the communal areas. I simply thought he saw the property on a bad day, however when I phoned the maintainence company and asked how often they cleaned, they said they dont clean but do carry out repairs and collect refuse.

I am bit confused as I thought the council were responsible for the refuse collection and Cleaning the communal areas would be down to the maintainence company. What am I paying for?

I have passed on my concerns to my solicitor, who is on the case.

Any help would be appreciated.

pboae

What you are paying for should be laid out in the lease in painstaking detail.

We used to have an ex-council leasehold flat, so the council were our freeholders. The service charge covered repairs to external and communal parts of the building, the electricity for communal lighting, a refuse charge because they provided the outdoor bins (!! we had to use their bins).

Nobody was responsible for cleaning the communal areas, so we all did it as and when we got too irritated by the mess. Nobody was responsible for tending the small communal garden at the front. But that's council leaseholds for you.

Do bear in mind that if you are able to insist on the management company doing the cleaning, they will just add the extra charge to your service charge. If it is a small block it would probably be cheaper to get a cleaner between you!

poorbutgettingricher

services charges and what they cover can vary.

we looked at a new build appartment and was told that the service charge covered the landscaping of the gardens, road maintenance, communal lighting/heating, painting of windows etc and cleaning.

dmg24

Services covered by the service charge seem to vary according to the property, definitely get these specified before you exchange.

I'm very surprised that they don't service the maintained areas - you'd think that would be one of their main tasks!

It is likely that the service charge will cover buildings insurance, window cleaning, lighting and maintenance of communal areas etc.

With regard to refuse collection, do you put your rubbish in a bin store, or communal bins? It may be that they put the rubbish out for the council to collect?

I'm having nightmares with my management company (they are trying to charge me to manage communal areas ... but there aren't any!). Hopefully as yours is an established development everything will be much more settled there.

Let us know what the solicitor says! x

yinka_2

Thanks for the replies guys

I have not seen the lease yet just thought it would make sense for cleaning to be included in basic maintainence of the property.

If it standard practice that cleaningis not included then fine. A couple of friends that used to live in flats both said they had weekly cleaners. It is a former shared ownership property. There are communal bins outside.

I will not be doing anything until it is all cleared up.