Help - Estate Management Charge Still Applies After Council Adoption?

bmf_fan

Hi all. I wonder if someone could advise me whether my situation is "the norm" or I have options to raise a complaint etc.
We moved into a new build estate (Barratts) around 7 years ago which has around 4 roads and around 100 houses/dwellings. We have a separate estate management company who runs the normal maintenance (Drain Works, Street lighting, mowing of lawns/upkeep of communal areas etc. etc.). Just recently, just our road (no others) has been adopted by the council (not sure of the reasons why). I asked my estate management company whether the service charge would still apply as moving forward, things like repairs to streetlamps and drainage etc. would be carried out by the council. They have stated that we will have a "slight reduction" in our service charge but the fee still applies.
This seems a bit unfair to me in a way as we are effectively paying for the other separate roads ongoing repairs/maintenance etc.?
Does this seem reasonable or not? Would really appreciate people's views. Thank you.

davidmcn

Generally you're contributing to whatever the "estate" is described as in your titles - that can be anything from just one block of flats, to a vast development. Yes, that does mean you might be paying for them to cut grass you can't see from your house, or to resurface bits of road you have no desire to use.

chanz4

If ground soloutions challenge them to prove and ask in writing to the council. Do they actually do anything they don't on ours

ethank

You should read your documentation from your purchase as this will detail what the charge is for.
You may have some roads, public open spaces, grass verges or parks which are not going to be adopted by the local Council.

Many Councils will now not adopt these items without a commuted sum from a developer. Some just don't want to take them on at all. That is why many developers use these management companies instead.

You can obtain the accounts of the company and keep on top of them.

diggingdude

Whilst it won't make any difference, people should also write to their MP pointing out the unfairness of councils meeting their housing obligations by having companies build houses which councils can charge council tax for but not supply equal services for that money.

daveyjp

bmf_fan wrote: »

Hi all. I wonder if someone could advise me whether my situation is "the norm" or I have options to raise a complaint etc.
We moved into a new build estate (Barratts) around 7 years ago which has around 4 roads and around 100 houses/dwellings. We have a separate estate management company who runs the normal maintenance (Drain Works, Street lighting, mowing of lawns/upkeep of communal areas etc. etc.). Just recently, just our road (no others) has been adopted by the council (not sure of the reasons why). I asked my estate management company whether the service charge would still apply as moving forward, things like repairs to streetlamps and drainage etc. would be carried out by the council. They have stated that we will have a "slight reduction" in our service charge but the fee still applies.
This seems a bit unfair to me in a way as we are effectively paying for the other separate roads ongoing repairs/maintenance etc.?
Does this seem reasonable or not? Would really appreciate people's views. Thank you.

It is unfair, but assuming this is a freehold property, you purchased a house with an unregulated charge attached to it.

The problems with this are only just coming to light and it needs plenty of MPs to fight your corner (or an expensive series of Court cases) before anything will change.

daveyjp

diggingdude wrote: »

Whilst it won't make any difference, people should also write to their MP pointing out the unfairness of councils meeting their housing obligations by having companies build houses which councils can charge council tax for but not supply equal services for that money.

No one is obliged to buy these houses. I wouldn't.

paddyz

They normally get the council to adopt the roads so council are able to have control for H&S for access and to make planned changes in the future if needed, I work for a housing association and I know Bin lorry’s and gritters often refuse to go into private roads
Every new development in my HA gets adopted and charges for common areas are in place too, but it should be fully explained when you are signing your tenancy

If you are private i would have thought it better to be adopted by the council as private management firms can charge for anything and costs could be crippling.

Nebulous2

Like any flat charge there will be winners and losers. Some people will have greater access to and are more likely to use grass areas. People without children may be paying something towards play areas. You are fortunate in some ways that your street has been adopted, but you still have to pay for the ones that aren't.

GDB2222

daveyjp wrote: »

It is unfair, but assuming this is a freehold property, you purchased a house with an unregulated charge attached to it.

The problems with this are only just coming to light and it needs plenty of MPs to fight your corner (or an expensive series of Court cases) before anything will change.

I agree that there should be regulation, as there is for leasehold service charges. However, you have bought a house on a private estate, and it’s not at all unfair that you should pay your share of the maintenance.

Perhaps you should lobby for a reduced council tax?

GDB2222

diggingdude wrote: »

Whilst it won't make any difference, people should also write to their MP pointing out the unfairness of councils meeting their housing obligations by having companies build houses which councils can charge council tax for but not supply equal services for that money.

It won’t do any good. We pay full council tax, even though our kids have grown up and don’t use the local schools any more. We don’t use the social housing department at the local council, nor have our kids been taken into care. It’s totally unfair that we pay full council tax just to get our bins emptied.