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Section 20 Notices
Blondetotty
Posts: 269 Forumite
Hi All
I received a bundle of Section 20 notices back in January regarding fire safety. Read them and filed them but today have received a new service charge estimate for the year for £2309 under fire safety and inspections. Now I'm currently disputing the 2017/2018 fire safety charges of £527 under Section 21 (viewing accounts and supporting docs etc) but I'm wondering if there is any way that I can request and make them comply with a demand for a breakdown or justification for the increase?
Obviously I'm not looking to duck fire safety regs but we're a small block of 5 across two floors, plus one in the roof, no cladding, no fire suppression system and no need for one, no extinguishers and no need for any (or so we've been told), and no central linked fire alarm. We've got some strips on our front doors which were fitted a couple of years ago, 2 fire doors in the communal area, some small emergency exit signs and emergency lighting and a few small alarms on all floors which are battery operated and which have never been checked since I purchased the flat new in 2005. In fact my sister changed the battery back in 2017 on our floor at 4.30am because it was bleeping and when she checked, the alarm was 2 years out of date hence my dispute over "fire safety inspections" during that time, given the alarms are one of the main things they need to inspect along with the lights and two doors
I'm going to assume it's probably to install a decent fire alarm system or something but I really want a breakdown and justification for the increase so am looking for a way to force them to give me it. When I say force, please don't suggest I ask nicely! I've been asking nicely for things for 12 years and this HA do not respond to nice. I get incompetence and avoidance at best and it's only statutory requests or formal CEO complaints that actually get any kind of results. FYI I do have 14 years worth of experience to back up this claim!!
Can anyone help on any wording to "request" a breakdown of the £2309?
Thanks in advance
I received a bundle of Section 20 notices back in January regarding fire safety. Read them and filed them but today have received a new service charge estimate for the year for £2309 under fire safety and inspections. Now I'm currently disputing the 2017/2018 fire safety charges of £527 under Section 21 (viewing accounts and supporting docs etc) but I'm wondering if there is any way that I can request and make them comply with a demand for a breakdown or justification for the increase?
Obviously I'm not looking to duck fire safety regs but we're a small block of 5 across two floors, plus one in the roof, no cladding, no fire suppression system and no need for one, no extinguishers and no need for any (or so we've been told), and no central linked fire alarm. We've got some strips on our front doors which were fitted a couple of years ago, 2 fire doors in the communal area, some small emergency exit signs and emergency lighting and a few small alarms on all floors which are battery operated and which have never been checked since I purchased the flat new in 2005. In fact my sister changed the battery back in 2017 on our floor at 4.30am because it was bleeping and when she checked, the alarm was 2 years out of date hence my dispute over "fire safety inspections" during that time, given the alarms are one of the main things they need to inspect along with the lights and two doors
I'm going to assume it's probably to install a decent fire alarm system or something but I really want a breakdown and justification for the increase so am looking for a way to force them to give me it. When I say force, please don't suggest I ask nicely! I've been asking nicely for things for 12 years and this HA do not respond to nice. I get incompetence and avoidance at best and it's only statutory requests or formal CEO complaints that actually get any kind of results. FYI I do have 14 years worth of experience to back up this claim!!
Can anyone help on any wording to "request" a breakdown of the £2309?
Thanks in advance
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