I've sold my flat but management company still chasing me for fees

middleclassbutpoor

eddddy wrote: »

The amount in dispute is £100. It's not cost-effective to involve a solicitor.

The legal fees would be hugely more than the claim.

need_an_answer wrote: »

I am taking the wording "balancing fee" to mean that there was an overspend last year above the initial calculations of the service charge?


If so then you should pay it in the same way that if there had been a surplus that was returned to leaseholders you would also have been entitled to that.

Management companies are very quick to add "chasing"charges to any outstanding amounts owed so a £100 debt can and will escalate easily.
They are well oiled machines who think nothing of taking the legal route and it may well be better and more cost effective to settle up and move on.

ravenscroftj wrote: »

This is exactly the situation thanks - the buyer did request £500 be held for management costs and I believe that this situation where an unexpected deficit relating to my ownership has been incurred after completion is exactly what that pot of money is for.

So the question is: if the £100 snowballs due to admin and interest charges incurred from non-payment because the buyer's solicitor hasn't done their job properly, how do I make sure that this doesn't follow me? Presumably if it ever got as far as court I'd have an iron clad case but I'd rather not let it get that far - especially since any late payments/non payments on my credit record could impact me getting a mortgage.

So do I just begrudgingly pay the £100?

You send the invoice to your solicitor and ask them to settle the o/s bill from the retained £500 and then ask then to ensure the share and ownership details are updated correctly.

ravenscroftj

middleclassbutpoor wrote: »

You send the invoice to your solicitor and ask them to settle the o/s bill from the retained £500 and then ask then to ensure the share and ownership details are updated correctly.

middleclassbutpoor That is EXACTLY what I should do - thank you so much - I can't believe I didn't think of that!

need_an_answer

ravenscroftj wrote: »

middleclassbutpoor That is EXACTLY what I should do - thank you so much - I can't believe I didn't think of that!

but that's different to your original post...

You originally queried whether you should pay the amount...the general consensus being yes.

Whether it is paid from the retainer funds you deposited with the solicitors of £500 or whether you pay separately is your decision.


What you were I believe asking originally is the legality of paying the bill.


In the solicitor settling the bill I'm assuming that the remaining £400 of the retainer can now be released back to you .


But you've paid the bill

ravenscroftj

Thanks "needs an answer"! Not too fussed about how this gets resolved as long as it gets resolved - your input helped steer this thread towards the answer!