Gated property, gate not working..

milesgiles

I live in a large block of 200 flats with a fobbed pedestrian and car gate. The car gate is frequently broken and has to be left open, leaving the whole development unsecured.
I’m not amused paying £180 a month service charge, and am noting the days it’s not working. Any idea if I’d have any luck pursuing a rebate at the end of the year?

[Deleted User]

No.

Raise it with them now, and then suggest a service reduction if it's not fixed within a certain period.

-taff

You might as well complain to the management company now.

SallyAnneBooth

Sounds horrible, is there no overriding mechanism on the gate?

SallyDucati

I doubt you would get a rebate as the management charge should me comprised of specific items + an amount for the managing agent (presuming you are a leaseholder). There will be an amount for the gate but that will be being spent getting it fixed each time.

Do you have a leaseholder group? Someone needs to put pressure on the agents to get a decent fix.

The issue I had with my leasehold flat was that more were rented than owner occupied so getting anything changed was impossible.

need_an_answer

how is the management company set up.
Do you have a share in that management company?

If you do have a share asking for a rebate may prove counterproductive given that all leaseholders pay service charges into a pot and asking for money back would ultimately either increase your personal contribution to the service charge or deny the complex of funds for other use.

The most effective way forward would be to find out via a contractor why the gates are failing and have a proper maintenance contract in place.

I suggest that perhaps you see how the management company is set up and f there is a or several directors you could approach for information


The solution is not to compensate leaseholders for the times the gates don't work,but to fix them to a standard that they do work

milesgiles

Cheers yes, it’s broken as I speak lol. And yes will be emailing management. No share in the management company, and I’d guess most here are renters. Don’t really have the time to set up a residents assoc. I guess I was asking, ultimately, if I keep emailing, no improvements are made, it keeps breaking and let’s say it’s out of action for 100 days out of the year (already on 20) would I not have a case to take to small claims for a rebate?

milesgiles

^ the over ride is just to leave it open.

parkrunner

milesgiles wrote: »

Cheers yes, it’s broken as I speak lol. And yes will be emailing management. No share in the management company, and I’d guess most here are renters. Don’t really have the time to set up a residents assoc. I guess I was asking, ultimately, if I keep emailing, no improvements are made, it keeps breaking and let’s say it’s out of action for 100 days out of the year (already on 20) would I not have a case to take to small claims for a rebate?

Unlikely I think as there is no financial loss. Also you'd need to know what percentage of the £180 service charge the gates amount to, could be a very small amount.

mattyprice4004

I’d imagine the parking is only a small amount of the charge - so I would say you might get a tenner back if you’re lucky

xylophone

Has anybody established why it "keeps breaking"? Vandalism?