Roof estimate via freehold Section 20 - Is this fair?

johnnyp37

I have just received quote from our freeholder for a new roof estimate for our property via a section 20 request. The freeholder is managed by a housing authority, and they have asked for quotes from large contractors. We are one of four flats per property and there are 3 properties that apparently require the roofs redone. We have not however, seen any evidence of an assessment for why these roofs need to be redone, or been given any detail on any assessment or any breakdown of the costs of the works.

The quote for all three properties together from two separate contractors is either £180,000 inc VAT or £191,000 inc VAT. This means split between 12 flats (4 per property), a quarter share of a roof will apparently cost each owner between £15,000 and £16,000.

This seems way, way too high, pricing each replacement roof at £60,000 for what we assume is a standard complete re-roofing. My investigation online has returned figures of around maximum £20,000 (inc VAT) in total for a new roof on a detached house of the size we are in.

The whole roof on the property is approx 200m2 and it has 2 storeys (I measured up the ground plan of the property myself).

Any advice, or knowledge here for rough prices for this size of property/type of work is gratefully received, as we think the estimate is grossly inflated.

Thanks
John

Doozergirl

I don't understand part of your post. There are three detached blocks of flats being quoted for? What is 200 square metres? One block or all three?

How may sets of scaffolding would be required?

I think you can obtain your own quotes if you ask to. It's been a while since I was a leaseholder.

brightontraveller

Generally if leaseholders contribution is over £250 (some leases £100 ) Section 20 is correct route But you can put forward observations and provide the name of a contractor from whom the Landlord/RMC should try to obtain an estimates
This may help

http://www.flat-living.co.uk/advice/257-what-is-a-section-20-notice-and-what-are-they-for

In the past some landlords/ agents get firms to quote they know don’t want the work? i.e. multinationals, large firms where works are too small?) Knowing they tend come back with silly high prices because of this?
Allows LL to put there own firm (or one that gives them a big slice) at just a high price knowing tenants tend to jump at newer being so much “cheaper” ( reality being its just “high” instead of “ridiculously” so ?

Although the big pie that owning the freehold used to be has pretty much gone some are still managing to gorge on it ?