Service charges from Freeholder seem unfair. Help!

bouicca21

Do you not have a breakdown of the bills for repairs and maintenance? I get a breakdown, so I can see just where the money goes. This does give food for thought - we pay for pest control but I need to ask just what the rat man is supposed to do and how often, as I've worked out his hourly rate for 4 visits a year and it makes bankers look like paupers.

Doozergirl

I've only scanned through, but was your dayghter offered the freehold before it was sold on? By law, it has to be offered to the leaseholders first.

The liklihood is that the freehold will be picked up by more profiteering types when sold on.

There's always the option of self-management at this point.

sniggings

knowing the amounts of the service charge and breakdown would help here.

scout59

Doozergirl wrote: »

I've only scanned through, but was your dayghter offered the freehold before it was sold on? By law, it has to be offered to the leaseholders first.

The liklihood is that the freehold will be picked up by more profiteering types when sold on.

There's always the option of self-management at this point.

Hi.
Yeah they were both offered it for a ridiculously high price - I think to put them off. And they are now looking are self management for next year.
Thanks for your advice. It's appreciated

scout59

bouicca21 wrote: »

Do you not have a breakdown of the bills for repairs and maintenance? I get a breakdown, so I can see just where the money goes. This does give food for thought - we pay for pest control but I need to ask just what the rat man is supposed to do and how often, as I've worked out his hourly rate for 4 visits a year and it makes bankers look like paupers.

This is the first Service Charges demand they have received and there is no breakdown on it. My daughter has been in her flat since September 2014 and has had no contact from either the freeholder or management company in respect to building maintenance or repairs. She did contact them as she was told the boiler was new - it broke down and she was told by the plumber that it is roughly 10 years old and at least 7 years.
She tried to get in touch with the freeholder and was stonewalled at every corner. In the end she just had to get it repaired herself.

She obviously had notice about the selling of the freehold and an introductory letter from the management company but that's it.

scout59

sniggings wrote: »

knowing the amounts of the service charge and breakdown would help here.

Insurance £710
Repairs/Maintenance £300
Management Fees £720
Audit Fees £210

Other than that there is no breakdown... No indication what the management fees cover and the insurance policy is a joke.

sniggings

scout59 wrote: »

Insurance £710
Repairs/Maintenance £300
Management Fees £720
Audit Fees £210

Other than that there is no breakdown... No indication what the management fees cover and the insurance policy is a joke.

On the face of it less than £20 a week each for the 2 flats seems reasonable, yet only £300 for repairs and maintenance is poor if there is any inside space that needs cleaning/electric and outside space.

Also keep in mind major repairs are very unlikely to e covered in that £300. So expect a large invoice for the likes of a new roof, pointing etc.

I think you are correct looking into this, hopefully someone will come along that knows this area and advise you how to change the management company or look to manage it yourselves if that is a possibility.

moneyistooshorttomention

scout59 wrote: »

Insurance £710
Repairs/Maintenance £300
Management Fees £720
Audit Fees £210

Other than that there is no breakdown... No indication what the management fees cover and the insurance policy is a joke.

Insurance - £710:eek:. Is the place "gold-plated" or something? I insure my whole house (that's house itself, contents, legal insurance and Emergency Cover) for under £300 pa.

Personally - re that boiler and its clear your daughter was lied to about it being new:mad: - but I wouldn't regard that as part of what was covered by the general charges. That confuses the issue to expect personal things covered by it (ie anything like that within one of the flats).

*************

Re other posters comments about being charged for a "rat man" to come in = huh???? and 4 times a year = huh????

Why on earth would a "rat man" come in - ever? - unless he had been called in for a specific one-off incident? Always as well to work out the hourly rate any charge comes to as well...:cool:

bouicca21

Why on earth would a "rat man" come in - ever? - unless he had been called in for a specific one-off incident? Always as well to work out the hourly rate any charge comes to as well...

A rat was seen many moons ago ... Probably not unrelated to the demolition of huge but derelict Victorian house next door. I see no reason why we should be paying for someone to come and lay bait at all let alone just to do it once a quarter for huge amounts of dosh.

Insurance for flats seems difficult to get and way more than for houses. At least that's what our management company say ...

moneyistooshorttomention

So - a one-off incident - and of a solitary rat at that and the circumstances sound understandable as to why that one put in an appearance.

Has that rat-catcher actually seen any dead rats from his "baiting"?? Personally, I'd be wondering why I'd not seen the corpses - and assuming that meant there weren't any to be seen...

Goodness knows - but, if it really were necessary to do this, then I'm guessing a resident could be given the money to buy some bait and, say, a tenner for their time in doing the shopping/baiting.

I'd also be wondering how come 4 times a year? Do rats like to observe the equinoxes then? Visions of a rat saying "Come on Mrs Rat - time to put in one of our 3-monthly appearances - its Spring Equinox time you know - and I think they put cheese out for us at Equinox times":rotfl: