Need help! Management company charging admin charges on my service charges

Chloe_Kitten

Hi all,

I need help/advice on what to do concerning the management company (MC) of my flat charging admin charges on my service charges. As soon as I questioned one of the instances of the admin charge, they've all of a sudden started bombarding me with letters demanding payment within 7 days or face legal action. I believe I shouldn't pay these charges because they are not correct. Also, the management company (MC) replaced the intercom system to the block (12 flats) in 2019 (before covid). My intercom was working before the replacement, but once replaced, it has never worked. I have chased this up with the MC, but I've been fobbed off so many times with them saying they'll look into it or have a contractor out soon. So, it's coming up to 7 years now and I have had no intercom and have had to endure so much stress with missed parcel deliveries, unreceived visits or anyone trying to contact me via the intercom. When covid happened, I was so upset because I wanted to rely on the intercom for all deliveries etc., but I couldn't, it complicated matters so much. I still continued paying my service charges.

The MC is invoicing me for 3 admin charges totalling almost £200. One admin charge is for late payment of service charges in 2022 when they stated costs for "pre-legal stage". I contacted them and explained my difficult financial situation and requested to waive the charge. They agreed and also proposed I pay the service charges monthly to clear the amount owed. I agreed but they made no mention of any costs to this proposed 'payment plan' of theirs. Looking at my account now, I see the MC did not waive the £80 admin charge for the pre-legal stage and, furthermore, they've slapped on a £27 charge for paying my service charges in installments for that period. The third admin charge of £105 is for February 2026, once again pre-legal stage. However, I received the notice letter with the summary of rights via their web portal on the 10th February. I made payment of my service charges the day before, in full, on the 9th February. However, they are stating that the notice was issued on the 9th Feb and so I am liable. But, my argument is that I had already made payment before the notice was received via their web portal. I'd like to know if I am still liable to pay this charge?

Can they charge me the £27 retrospectively when there was no mention of it when agreeing to their payment plan. Also, how do I address the £80 that should have been waived as the person I spoke to, over the phone, regarding waiving the £80 charge is no longer working for the MC?

I'm struggling as I am with my mortgage and I can't believe the MC have the nerve to try and squeeze these admin costs from me, when my intercom hasn't worked since 2019 and all my requests for a fix have been ignored. Someone please share some helpful advice on where I stand and what I can do. Sorry for the long write-up, just want to provide the any helpful soul as much info as possible. If you want more details then please let me know. Thank you everyone.

Kind regards

C. Meow

LHCalc123

Have you looked through your lease to see what is said about gees and charges?

eddddy

There's a lot of stuff in your post. Here are some comments about some of it…

I believe I shouldn't pay these charges because they are not correct.

The usual advice is to pay all leasehold admin charges that a management company asks for, but say that you are paying under protest, and maybe say that you might/will challenge the charges.

The reason is that if you don't pay, the management company are likely to keep adding more admin charges - these could add-up to hundreds or even thousands of pounds.

So if you lose your challenge, you'll then have to pay all those admin charges.

The MC is invoicing me for 3 admin charges totalling almost £200. One admin charge is for late payment of service charges in 2022 when they stated costs for "pre-legal stage".

If your late payment of a service charge meant that somebody at the Management company had to do an extra hour of work ( including sending you a letter) - then a tribunal might say that £80 is a reasonable charge for that work.

If you late payment only caused the management company 15 mins of extra work - then a tribunal would probably say that £80 is excessive.

they've slapped on a £27 charge for paying my service charges in installments for that period.

This charge is probably nothing to do with your lease - it's probably a 'side deal' offered by the management company. If that's the case, you cannot challenge it at a tribunal.

If they didn't mention a charge - you might have a reasonable case for not paying the charge. I guess that you would say that no charge was mentioned, and a reasonable person would not have expected there to be a charge.

(But, for example, did they send you a letter, say, a year ago offering you the option to pay by monthly instalments for a fee of £27. And you have now taken up that option?)

The third admin charge of £105 is for February 2026, once again pre-legal stage. However, I received the notice letter with the summary of rights via their web portal on the 10th February. I made payment of my service charges the day before, in full, on the 9th February. However, they are stating that the notice was issued on the 9th Feb and so I am liable. But, my argument is that I had already made payment before the notice was received via their web portal. I'd like to know if I am still liable to pay this charge?

Did you pay your service charge late? If so, had you caused them around 1.5 hours of extra work because you paid late?

If so, a tribunal is likely to say that the £105 admin charge is reasonable.

You would be paying them £105 for the work they had to do. You would not be paying them for receiving a letter.

Also, how do I address the £80 that should have been waived as the person I spoke to, over the phone, regarding waiving the £80 charge is no longer working for the MC?

That's a tough one.

If the £80 was being waived as a 'gesture of goodwill', I doubt you can 'force' them to honour that gesture.

If the £80 was being waived because the person at the management company agreed that that the charge was made in error - then you probably have to provide evidence that it was made in error.