London Service Charges

Aemon

davidmcn wrote: »

Are these one-off charges or being incurred annually? I could just about understand initial fees for surveys or risk assessments, or installing a fire alarm if they haven't been done before, but the idea that e.g. managing the (probably non-existent) asbestos ought to cost almost a pound a day is ludicrous.

Annual charges.

Firealarm is already installed and operating at the property and assuming asbestos is removed too.

[Deleted User]

davidmcn wrote: »

Are these one-off charges or being incurred annually? I could just about understand initial fees for surveys or risk assessments, or installing a fire alarm if they haven't been done before, but the idea that e.g. managing the (probably non-existent) asbestos ought to cost almost a pound a day is ludicrous.

I cannot speak or the OP but I suggest these will be annual charges..

davidmcn

Deleted_User wrote: »

I cannot speak or the OP but I suggest these will be annual charges..

Got to have a professional round regularly to check nobody's installed new asbestos... :wall:

[Deleted User]

davidmcn wrote: »

Got to have a professional round regularly to check nobody's installed new asbestos... :wall:

As I have been at the wrong end of these charges from previous managing agents I was just giving my opinion.



We have a small amount of asbestos in a garage outside and unfortunately had to put up with these ridiculous charges. Not only did we have an expensive survey but also a Health and Safety risk assessment every year.


Wait until the Section 20 lands on your doorstep..

Aemon

Yes in addition the bank charges of £60 per annum, seems a bit strange, even renting I don't pay bank charges

:undecided

[Deleted User]

Where are the end of year accountancy fees? These will need to be added to the service charge..

davidmcn

Deleted_User wrote: »

As I have been at the wrong end of these charges from previous managing agents I was just giving my opinion.

Ha, not arguing with you, just seems like money for old rope, especially for a "development" which comprises only two flats. Very glad that we self-manage a three flat conversion in Edinburgh and only incur costs for maintenance as and when we actually get it done.

bouicca21

If it’s a new freeholder, I think I concur with others, run.

buglawton

About the potential £1400 fibre to premises fee. I recently discovered that Gigaclear have put in fibre to the building of a flat I manage. They are then cabling from in-building access point to inside flats using thin coax or cat 5. Only found out when a tenant asked permission to have the service run into the flat. The management company never mentioned it and no additional installation fee has been quoted.

Aemon

Just as an update after speaking to my estate agent on the topic of the expense for the cable I got this response.

All freeholders try and make money out of this kind of thing and to be honest most people just ignore them and do it! £2000 for installing an internet cable is a silly figure and in reality they are never going to know about it. It sounds likely that it is already there anyway!

At the time part of me didn't want to say anything, but also I wanted to confirm as having good internet is important for my work and one of the reasons for looking in this area. If it was taken away it would be a major issue

What are peoples thoughts?