window cleaning in a block of flats

GeBa

Hi, I own a flat in a block of flats and my windows cannot be reached from the street and therefore cannot be cleaned professionally.In the past,I haven´t paid the service charge for that but I am now required to do so by a new management company. Can I legally refuse to pay as the windows are not part of the communal areas? Thanks

Ant555

Are you saying that windows get cleaned in the block for other residents but yours have never been cleaned due to their location?

Le_Kirk

Dear New Management Co
As soon as my windows are cleaned I will pay the service charge.

ETA Of course it depends what is in your agreement re service charge and what it includes.  My daughter had a flat in a block in Stratford (moved now) and had an annual battle with the management company but finally received 3 x credit for non cleaning of windows.  The flat was only on the third floor and there were more floors above hers.  There was even a system installed (overhead cradle) that could be used to facilitate the cleaning, it was just never done.  Fortunately we found a separate line in the service charge details that showed window cleaning as a number item!

TELLIT01

Presumably if the OPs flat windows aren't being cleaned, neither are any of the others on that floor.  They should speak to other people on that floor and have a combined 'attack' on the management company.  Not so easy to fob off a larger number of people.

Ectophile

Legally, what does the lease say?  There can be all sorts of clauses setting out what maintenance fees you need to pay.  Most but not all leases consider the windows to be part of the fabric of the building, and so covered by maintenance fees.

Perhaps you should be asking why they aren't finding a way to clean your windows.

GeBa

Ant555 said:

Are you saying that windows get cleaned in the block for other residents but yours have never been cleaned due to their location?

Yes, that´s right. I´m at the top and my windows are kind of "pushed back" and therefore unreachable from the street.

GeBa

Ectophile said:

Legally, what does the lease say?  There can be all sorts of clauses setting out what maintenance fees you need to pay.  Most but not all leases consider the windows to be part of the fabric of the building, and so covered by maintenance fees.

Perhaps you should be asking why they aren't finding a way to clean your windows.

The lease says:""You will be responsible for paying 1/42 of the costs of the landlord /managing agent in the repair, maintenance, insurance and management of the building itself and any common parts...." , which, in my opinion, individual windows are not.

Ant555

GeBa said:

The lease says:""You will be responsible for paying 1/42 of the costs of the landlord /managing agent in the repair, maintenance, insurance and management of the building itself and any common parts...." , which, in my opinion, individual windows are not.

Do they send an annual itemised bill for all shared services or is it a general cost? 

You say that you didnt pay the service charge to the previous management agents so did they work out a specific cost/discount structure just for your window cleaning rebate or was it a rough finger in the air amount.

If all costs are put in the general pot then I wonder what's to stop then saying window cleaning costs are only £42 per year for the whole block so we will give you £1 discount on your annual fees.

With a shared charging structure, I guess all flats would have to contribute to 1/42 towards things such as roof repairs and not just the flats on the top floor though?

GeBa

Ant555 said:

GeBa said:

The lease says:""You will be responsible for paying 1/42 of the costs of the landlord /managing agent in the repair, maintenance, insurance and management of the building itself and any common parts...." , which, in my opinion, individual windows are not.

Do they send an annual itemised bill for all shared services or is it a general cost? 

You say that you didnt pay the service charge to the previous management agents so did they work out a specific cost/discount structure just for your window cleaning rebate or was it a rough finger in the air amount.

If all costs are put in the general pot then I wonder what's to stop then saying window cleaning costs are only £42 per year for the whole block so we will give you £1 discount on your annual fees.

With a shared charging structure, I guess all flats would have to contribute to 1/42 towards things such as roof repairs and not just the flats on the top floor though?

Thanks for your reply. The bill is itemised so I know exactly how much it is. It´s not so much the money, my point  really is if they can legally "force" me to pay as it´s not a part of the lease and I´m not getting the service.