Service Charge Bill with two weeks due date

theartfullodger

emmajones1976 said:

From_Cordoba said:

https://www.gov.uk/late-commercial-payments-interest-debt-recovery

Are you a business?

Exactly...

saajan_12

From_Cordoba said:

My lease does not mention any time period

This is what I refering to: 
"If you do not agree a payment date, the law says the payment is late 30 days after either:

• the customer gets the invoice
• you deliver the goods or provide the service (if this is later)"

From_Cordoba said:

https://www.gov.uk/late-commercial-payments-interest-debt-recovery

Firstly, that looks like it applies to business-business debts. 
Secondly, even if it applied to you, its specifically meant as a default "if you do not agree a payment date". You likely have agreed a payment date (14 days after invoice) through your lease, so the default is not relevant. 

TripleH

If you don't think you can pay the bill within 14 days, contact the company you have to pay and tell them.

Be polite and let them know when you will be paying the balance. If you can make a part payment, that's great. But do all this before the amount is due.

Most organisations will be more relaxed with an issue if they know there is a problem or delay in advance especially if the bill is larger than usual or outside normal periods. This way they can focus their efforts on those who don't pay and don't say.

(I assume the management company are reasonable here and if a Bill needs urgently paying it isn't because they sat on it).

eddddy

It's worth bearing in mind that with service charge bills - leases usually allow freeholders to charge a leaseholder "late payment admin fees" if you're late paying.

And if you don't pay the "late payment admin fees", you'd probably become liable for paying the freeholder's solicitor's bill, debt recovery agent's bill, etc, etc


So maybe just take the easy option and pay within 14 days - unless you're 100% sure that that payment isn't due for 30 days, and that you would win your argument at a tribunal.