Service charges

[scooter lady]

Hi there, I am not sure if this post is in the right place so please move if not right. I have lived in my council flat (recently taken over by a housing association in the last two years) for the last 16years. yesterday I received a letter saying as from next year I will be liable to pay a service charge at about £12 a week on top of my rent increase and council tax. I have not heard of paying service charges whilst renting before and like I say I have been here for 16years with no such charge. an extra £700 per year minimum is too much for to me to afford. Any thoughts please. Thanks.

[Curlyben]

Re: Service charges

Does it give details of what this charge relates to ?
Do you have a parking spaces allocated with your dwelling as a number of housing associations have been adding additional charges of this nature for your use of said space.
This is all after the Protection of Freedoms act outlawed clamping on private land..

[scooter lady]

Re: Service charges

Hi there, no parking spaces. I should of made clear all flats in this town under the housing association are going to be charged. The letter that was sent out was a general outline but said the charge covers things such as door entry systems, lifts, outside ground maintanance, CCTV. Basically anything they can charge you for they will. You get the picture.

[scooter lady]

Re: Service charges

Just to point out also they said they will send out a statement in march next year letting us know exactly what we are beimg charged for. £12 per week seems alto for a charge I have never paid before though and I would imagine it will keep rising year on year :-/

[alham]

Re: Service charges

Ask to see their contract under which they have taken over the property (especially if EVERY tenant requested such information they will take note). It will contain some kind of covenant regarding service charges, etc... Also, what does your tenants association has to say about this? If you haven't got one, maybe it is time that you created one.

As far as I know there is a proliferation of PROFIT MAKING housing associations (owned by private equity firms) which were instrumental in Government decision to allow HAs to charge almost a market rate. BTW, £52 per CM is a lot of money as a service charge, this is a kind of level charged for privately owned apartments.