Excessive admin charges on leasehold major works

[Deleted User]

Do YHN look after the flats on Byker bank? What a dump when I walked through them the other day. They need to get them sorted if they are charging that much money.

rpc

Still don't see anything about admin charges for major works. Thanks to the pdf link, you can search the lease

Hopefully one of the leasehold "experts" that frequents this forum will be able to comment.

daztraction

Cheers rpc. As well as "admin", I also searched for all instances of "expense", thinking admin charges may come under that heading. But that isn't applicable to my situation either.

Mokka

I've previously contacted Leaseholder Advisory Service and they've been very helpful. You have to wait on the phone forever though.

Lioness_Twinkletoes

I work for a LA on the S20 consultation side of things. Our fees are charges to cover costs that are incurred for surveying and specifying the work, contract administration, tendering, tender analysis, letting contracts, on site supervision, quality control, cost control and agreeing final accounts.

I would second the suggestion to get advice from LEASE and certainly before you consider taking the matter to the LVT (as they charge).

If your lease allows for these charges, and the council can demonstrate they are reasonable you will lose.

bouicca21

I don't see why a flat rate percentage to allow for overheads is unreasonable - as long as it can be demonstrated that there was an adequate methodology used in arriving at that figure. It is surely cheaper and more efficient in the end to apply a flat rate rather than employ extra people to cost each and every job.

rpc

Lioness_Twinkletoes wrote: »

If your lease allows for these charges, and the council can demonstrate they are reasonable you will lose.

Well that's the question, isn't it.

If the lease does not allow for these charges, then the freeholder is wrong to apply them whether they are reasonable or not.

Lioness_Twinkletoes

rpc wrote: »

Well that's the question, isn't it.

If the lease does not allow for these charges, then the freeholder is wrong to apply them whether they are reasonable or not.

Yes, it is the question. However, I would caution against immediately heading to Tribunal when the OP might be able to get the information from his lease and/or LEASE. If it is allowable under the terms of the lease he will lose at Tribuanl. Could be a waste of time, effort and money.

rpc

Lioness_Twinkletoes wrote: »

Yes, it is the question. However, I would caution against immediately heading to Tribunal when the OP might be able to get the information from his lease and/or LEASE. If it is allowable under the terms of the lease he will lose at Tribuanl. Could be a waste of time, effort and money.

I agree.

What OP needs is for someone with a knowledgeable eye to read his lease and say whether the charges are permitted or not.

It sounds as if the council don't know - really it would be a single clause that allows admin charges to be recovered from leaseholders and they have highlighted huge, largely irrelevant, chunks.

Going to tribunal unless you are sure of your case would be daft.

daztraction

Thanks folks. I've already got in touch with LEASE about it, so I'm waiting on them now. Thanks again.