HOUSING BENEFIT: COMMON REPAIRS DISALLOWED

HillStreetBlues

Newcad said:

Fair enough then, unless £663 is much higher than previous years then it looks like someone (new to the job?) at the council has misunderstood that they are regular maintenance/service charges.

However I have to say that £633 service charges does seem quite a high to me, how do the factors break that down?

Mine is a tenth of that for this year, I'm not in Glasgow but ...

I agree, it does work out at over £5k for the block, so the HA should be able to break it down as that's not just general maintenance.

bkmla

The second paragraph of my post is ambiguous.

What I should have wrote was I own one-quarter of a flat in an eight-apartment block of flats.

Apologies for that.

bkmla

'Is "common repairs" in this context a payment towards regular maintenance?' - Yes.

'Or is it a contingency fund for any future building repairs that might be needed?' - The sum is for estimated expenditure for the period 01.04.24 - 31.03.25.

'Have you been in contract with PHA  on how they have calculated the estimate for repairs?' - No.

'However I have to say that £633 service charges does seem quite a high to me, how do the factors break that down?' - I do not know.

sheramber

How much have previous service charges been?

bkmla

sheramber said:

How much have previous service charges been?

2022-23 £279

2023-24 £294

Largs

Are you able to email the welfare rights person at the housing association? I'm sure they are used to dealing with the housing benefit office. 

welfarerights@PARKHEADHA.ORG.UK

sheramber

bkmla said:

sheramber said:

How much have previous service charges been?

2022-23 £279

2023-24 £294

This year’s  charge is a lot more. 

Why it is more may be the problem.

Newcad

bkmla said:

'However I have to say that £633 service charges does seem quite a high to me, how do the factors break that down?' - I do not know.

Don't you get a rent increase notice each March/April?

That should say how much is Rent and how much is Service Charge, and then on another page further break down the service charges.

eg. Mine breaks it down as so much for Admin/management, so much for Grounds Maintenance, so much towards maintaining the communal TV aerial, etc. etc.

UC always asks for such a detailed breakdown of service charges to decide which are eligible for Housing Element and which aren't, and if a detailed breakdown isn't provided then they won't pay the Service Charges for a Social Rental.

Housing Benefit is similar, and if your factor hasn't/won't provide such a breakdown then that could well be why the council won't pay the service charges.
Here is Shelter Scotland's page on Service Charges in Housing Benefit: https://scotland.shelter.org.uk/professional_resources/legal/benefits/housing_benefit/services_included_in_the_rent

HillStreetBlues

sheramber said:

bkmla said:

sheramber said:

How much have previous service charges been?

2022-23 £279

2023-24 £294

This year’s  charge is a lot more. 

Why it is more may be the problem.

I agree with that, but the council should have gave that as the reason, or tell OP they want a breakdown of that cost.

bkmla

Newcad said:

bkmla said:

'However I have to say that £633 service charges does seem quite a high to me, how do the factors break that down?' - I do not know.

Don't you get a rent increase notice each March/April?

That should say how much is Rent and how much is Service Charge, and then on another page further break down the service charges.

eg. Mine breaks it down as so much for Admin/management, so much for Grounds Maintenance, so much towards maintaining the communal TV aerial, etc. etc.

UC always asks for such a detailed breakdown of service charges to decide which are eligible for Housing Element and which aren't, and if a detailed breakdown isn't provided then they won't pay the Service Charges for a Social Rental.

Housing Benefit is similar, and if your factor hasn't/won't provide such a breakdown then that could well be why the council won't pay the service charges.
Here is Shelter Scotland's page on Service Charges in Housing Benefit: https://scotland.shelter.org.uk/professional_resources/legal/benefits/housing_benefit/services_included_in_the_rent

I receive a rent increase notice each year, but not one for the service charge.

I email the Housing Association for an estimate of the service charge for the coming financial year. They reply to my email and I submit this to the Council, and my HB entitlement (until this year) is based on this.

This is a breakdown of he service charge for 2024-25 supplied by the Housing Association and submitted to the Council:

Administration Fee - £208.68
Buildings lnsurance - £248.98
Communal Close Cleaning - £164.08
Communal Backcourt Maintenance £155.48
Common Minor Repairs £663.37

The Council has disallowed the latter three services.