Bills for Maintenance and Refurbishment on Council Property

[Deleted User]

p.s. you might also be able to add it to your mortgage if you can't afford the payment in one go.

booksurr

Revorocks wrote: »

There's no need to make rude comments like that. How can you say it's a get rich quick scheme?
I invested in a property and it is a long term investment.

I did know it was council owned but having never owned a council property did not know how often the billing is and much about their fees.

a competent professional LL intending to undertake letting an ex local authority property as a business would have researched the market he was entering and assessed the risk before hand. Chancers on the other hand don't.

Revorocks wrote: »

I just think it's mad that I pay a monthly maintenance fee, then when a large maintenance job comes up I have to pay the bill on that as well.

lack of research is no excuse

Revorocks wrote: »

Thank you for your answer guys, I did notice it was a little cheaper than most other properties but it wasn't by a margin large enough to highlight any cause for concern.

you have been educated in the ways of the world

PasturesNew

Revorocks wrote: »

... if they can just bill me for whatever amount whenever they feel like it if ....

That's pretty much what they do in a lot of cases.

Revorocks

PlutoinCapricorn wrote: »

What does your lease say about recoverable charges?

This section of the website is very useful:

http://www.lease-advice.org/publications/documents/document.asp?item=14

Will have to dig out the paperwork later. Currently at work. Will have a look at the website and go through it. Thank you

Revorocks

Cherry_Gale wrote: »

Hi Revorocks, I am in a similar position, waiting nervously for the bill to hit the mat for various works under the 'decent homes standard' which applies to all local authorities in England (or maybe UK, not sure). I found out about this under the searches my solicitor did when I bought, so I know roughly the amounts, but not the dates yet. Mine is about £12k over 5 years.

If it's larger works (more than £500?), they have to issue a section 20 notice, so you will get some advance notice. My council also allows 2 years interest free payments to spread it out. You don't have any choice in the matter, but there may be leaseholders representatives who help to see that the work is tendered for competitively.

Have a look at your local authority 'info for leaseholders' on their website.

We did do checks with our solicitor who uncovered the charges for maintenance on the lift when we purchesed the propery. This came to £8k. This was factored in and a deal was made.

This work is newly announced, as in a few months ago and was not in planning when I bought the place.
I have a feeling it's going to be more than £8k this time based on the size of the job.

It does not sound like it is work that needs to be done, it's just a decorative refurb on the outside of the building. They said they are putting in new windows too, which don't NEED doing. Should just improve the overall look of the building.

Can't really find out if they are doing it competitively as there is no bill yet so would have to wait for the proposed bill first, the section 20 you speak of.

So you say you can pay it over a long period interest free, that shouldn't be so bad, or could add it to the mortgage as mentioned.

PlutoinCapricorn

It is definitely worth doing the research. My council called in a company who estimated that over £1m needed to be spent. The residents demolished their case: the company was just trying to get a lot of business for itself.

If there is a next time, it might be worth asking how often, for example, the outside is painted and when it was last done. We live and learn.

Dan-Dan

Revorocks wrote: »

Would rather not... Just want to know if this is normal and if there is an upper limit or anything that they can charge.

My suggestion wasnt as flippant as it would first appear , if you dont like surprises you cant at least have some control over , then best to own the freehold

sniggings

Revorocks wrote: »

I just think it's mad that I pay a monthly maintenance fee, then when a large maintenance job comes up I have to pay the bill on that as well.

when you moved in, did you not check what the maintenance fee covered?

that would have been my first question.

if the fee is more than what it is meant to cover, cleaning only, no major works then you can look into fighting the charge as excessive, if it's a fair charge then to be fair, you should have realised more bills were on the way.

The amount you pay, it should be clear if that is just for a cleaner to hoover the hallway once a week or if there would be enough for major works such as roofs etc

knowing about the bill for the lift, should have made you consider what other works would be taking place.

jamie11

Ex-council property owners are best advised, IMO, to overpay their major works accounts by a reasonable amount to lessen the blow of these events.

I have one where the account is £2500 in credit, I will get that back when I sell.

Lioness_Twinkletoes

Sounds like you've received the Notice of Intention under the Section 20 consultation. Consultation has to be carried out for any works that will exceed £250 per leasehold property.

The next thing you will receive will be the Notice of Estimate. Worth starting to make payments to your major works account now - councils offer different repayment options - for example mine only give three years to pay the bills (some of which are in excess of £20k) and if you are a non resident leaseholder there is no leeway with that.

Do get involved with the consultation and take advantage of the opportunity to comment on the proposed works.