Flat/House Management Charges

tim123456789

KennyH1 wrote: »

What do you pay for management charges - £2200 service charge , £250 ground rent, £450 buildings insurance!
How many bedrooms is in your house/flat - 2bed city centre apartment
Does the cost vary depending on the size for each residence in your block/estate - Based on the size of the flat. There are 177 flats and we have the largest!!
What percentage of this is a management company fee as opposed to actual costs - Management fee equates to 25% of the total service charge. Total serivice charge for 2012 = £148,000 plus and additional £96,000 for the car parking!!
Have annual increases been in excess of inflation - Increase of 4.79% on 2011.

Why do you pay so much for parking?

Usually maintenance of a parking area is close to zero

propertyman

tim123456789 wrote: »

Why do you pay so much for parking?

Usually maintenance of a parking area is close to zero

Only if it is in flat open car park and on most modern schemes you are paying for insurance lighting sweeping drain cleaning, entry systems if is gated, water if it is laid on and a reserve fund for long term replacement.

Many are in underground carparks or adjacent structures, often it is an " NCP" type arrangement and a whole floor or spaces are allocated/reserved. Car stackers are also common in the big riverside developments.

KennyH1

propertyman wrote: »

Only if it is in flat open car park and on most modern schemes you are paying for insurance lighting sweeping drain cleaning, entry systems if is gated, water if it is laid on and a reserve fund for long term replacement.

Many are in underground carparks or adjacent structures, often it is an " NCP" type arrangement and a whole floor or spaces are allocated/reserved. Car stackers are also common in the big riverside developments.

Unfortunately car parking is 24hr 'valet' parking. Parking in the basement. Theres an entrance gate but they wont ley you park your car yourself due to insurance and the chance of double parking, blocking, letting mates park etc)

Breakdown of costs are:

Car parking duties (sweeping) £1000 - Although the valet guys do this so i have queried this charge.
Car park electricity £3000
Staff Wages £90,000
Insurance £3800
Misc £250

tim123456789

KennyH1 wrote: »

Unfortunately car parking is 24hr 'valet' parking. Parking in the basement. Theres an entrance gate but they wont ley you park your car yourself due to insurance and the chance of double parking, blocking, letting mates park etc)

OMG

and people willingly "buy into" that!

tim

KennyH1

tim123456789 wrote: »

OMG

and people willingly "buy into" that!

tim

Unfortunately the apartment was my wife and sisters long before i came along so i'm now picking up the peices and trying to get us a fairer deal if possible.

I know other flats have gated entrances without the problems of double parking etc i just need to find a bit more info to put it to the MC, although they dont seemed bothered in any money saving ideas.