Service charges on freehold property?

karlos_the_jackal

I've just got the paperwork back from my solicitor for a property I'm about to buy and I've learned that there is an annual service charge that must be paid to a company to maintain the estate. The charge isn't much (~£100/year), but it's due to a covenant it's not optional.

The charge is apparently for maintenance of the green space on the estate, service ducts, a children's play area and a small area of adjacent woodland. All of the roads have been adopted by the council.

I just find this unusual for a freehold property, I could understand if it was in a conservation area but this is a bog-standard suburban estate.

davidmcn

All perfectly normal, your bog-standard modern estate includes green space, play areas, etc, which councils aren't keen to take over these days, and if part of the planning conditions was that the woodland is maintained, you're paying for that too.

Guest101

If, of when, the council take over this will disappear

phill99

His is very common now. At one time, councils would adopt roads as well as green spaces etc. Now they only adpot roads, and wil not take on green areas etc. Hence, management companies are set up to maintain these spaces.

Expect this to become normal practice on new builds.

karlos_the_jackal

davidmcn wrote: »

All perfectly normal, your bog-standard modern estate includes green space, play areas, etc, which councils aren't keen to take over these days, and if part of the planning conditions was that the woodland is maintained, you're paying for that too.

That's ok then, it's not a deal breaker. I think I'm more annoyed at the fact the EA and vendor didn't mention the charge and I only found out by studying the paperwork.