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Service charge complaints up 46%
Graham_Devon
Posts: 58,560 Forumite
Another of the problems of housing coming home to roost.
I actually remember a discussion about this approx 2 years ago, where someone suggested service charges would rise to make up for the landlords costs. The poster was pretty much disregarded as a HPC nutter. But it seems there is at least a little evidence that this could well be happening.
Again, it's back to other countries and how they do it. Howcome other EU countries seem to have all this sorted?
I actually remember a discussion about this approx 2 years ago, where someone suggested service charges would rise to make up for the landlords costs. The poster was pretty much disregarded as a HPC nutter. But it seems there is at least a little evidence that this could well be happening.
Flat-owners' complaints about service charges have risen by 46% in two years to 7,600, figures show.
They queried the amount they were being asked to pay for maintenance and repairs, the Leasehold Advisory Service for England and Wales said.
In some cases flat-owners have been asked for payments of tens of thousands of pounds by those who manage the blocks they live in.
But an agents' association said actual numbers of complaints remained low.
There is simply no way most home / flat owners could find the amount of money above. I'm sure this is a very extreme case, but that means there will be many hundreds if not thousands of other cases where people are struggling to find that amount of money.
Rod Campbell, a former film stuntman from Zimbabwe, lives in a block of flats in Worthing in West Sussex.
He and the other 44 leaseholders have been told to pay £11,000 each to cover recent repairs. This included painting and installing new railings.
Again, it's back to other countries and how they do it. Howcome other EU countries seem to have all this sorted?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15040273
But, despite that safeguard, some in the industry are highly concerned that the whole business of property management remains unregulated.
However, countries like France and Australia take a very different view. They have a system whereby property managers are licensed.
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Comments
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So a 40 apartment block..... 40 owner occupiers who look after the place...
or 40 people who come and go every 6-18 months.
Who is going to look after the place and who isnt?0 -
Graham_Devon wrote: »
Again, it's back to other countries and how they do it. Howcome other EU countries seem to have all this sorted?
Perhaps they don't. According to this article about germany...
http://www.globalpropertyguide.com/Europe/Germany/Landlord-and-Tenant
....there are 300,000 disputes between landlord and tenant each year. So maybe not the dream renting scenario you imagined.If I don't reply to your post,
you're probably on my ignore list.0 -
....there are 300,000 disputes between landlord and tenant each year. So maybe not the dream renting scenario you imagined.
300,000?
From a population of 82 million?
A population where 70% of those people rent?
And by the way, it's not even the same thing you are talking about. This is complaints between owners of flats and the freeholder.0 -
Graham_Devon wrote: »300,000?
From a population of 82 million?
A population where 70% of those people rent?
You're the one suggesting every other country has got it spot on.
Most reasonable people would conclude that 300,000 landlord/tenant disputes going to court every year doesn't support your claim.If I don't reply to your post,
you're probably on my ignore list.0 -
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Graham_Devon wrote: »It's NOT landlord / tenant complaints.
I've already told you that!
How do you know there are no service charge problems in the rest of Europe?If I don't reply to your post,
you're probably on my ignore list.0 -
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Graham_Devon wrote: »Where did I say that?
Post 1 ...................Graham_Devon wrote: »Again, it's back to other countries and how they do it. How come other EU countries seem to have all this sorted?If I don't reply to your post,
you're probably on my ignore list.0 -
No, that stated they have controls in place.
Didn't state they had NO problems at all.
Get a grip. This whole thread has been me correcting you.0 -
Graham_Devon wrote: »No, that stated they have controls in place.
Didn't state they had NO problems at all.
Get a grip. This whole thread has been me correcting you.
More like you thrashing around to avoid the question.
What evidence do you have to state that european countries have controls regulating service charges between freeholders and leaseholders.If I don't reply to your post,
you're probably on my ignore list.0
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