UK Landlord Forum / Life

So own a flat in a block managed by HYDE housing there service is pretty bad issues take months to be sorted and replies take forever.

OCTOBER 2024:
At the beginning of October we receive a updated service charge for the period ending in march 2024 they want £950 by the end of October as we don't pay by direct debit. The statement say estimated responsive maintenance for the estate is £69 actual is £5500 divided by the 8 flats in the block. The building is a row of flats at ground level with a 3 story block at one end which is where i own the flat in the block. We have seen zero works in the last year and nothing that equates to £5500 Many little things that have been done are listed under other sections in the statement. As responses usually take 6 months i have opened an enquiry asking what the charge is and saying we will not pay it until we are given details what the charge is for. Can we do this? The last query we made was 6 months ago and the last update was april 2024 with nothing since. It seems when we pay they just dont bother to respond
The £950 has been added to our online account i just paid the monthly amount of £237.31 but have not paid anything off the £950 

BACKGROUND:
In december last year they sent me a updated service charge for the year ending march 2023 wanting £440 by the end of december. We paid and asked for detail of the charges and chased work that was left undone since april 2023 and also why we was paying window cleaning that never happened. Months later we finally get receipts for the year. By September 2024 work is still left untouched and we are still paying window cleaning the complaint is still open with nothing done since April 2024

If the demand for the service charge is valid, you should pay it and continue to query it, including going to a tribunal.

Not paying a legitimately demanded service charge can result in late payment fees, legal action or even (however unlikely) forgoing the lease. You've already agreed to pay whatever is demanded.

Welcome to being a lessee.

It's generally a good idea to refuse their offer to pay Service Charge and things of that nature by Direct Debit. Hold control.

I've made mistakes in my life - buying into leasehold even once was a big one I regret. The amount of money they've spaffed up the wall is eye-watering. They have no awareness of, and no interest in, efficiencies and savings... yet they constantly bare-faced lie that this is fundamentally what drives them. It's all a huge con..

I wonder what the consequences would be if everyone there withheld payment of the charges until you see evidence of how the money was used?  Are there others who feel the same as you?

The management company will make more money in late fees?

There are specialist debt collection companies who love this kind of debt.

JPK is spot on, pay under duress and take them to the FTT.

Get together with the other lessees and see if you can get enough to form your own right to manage company where you manage it between you.

https://www.gov.uk/right-to-manage-a-guide-for-landlords


https://www.lease-advice.org/fact-sheet/right-to-manage/

https://england.shelter.org.uk/professional_resources/legal/home_ownership/leasehold_and_commonhold/right_to_manage_for_leaseholders_of_flats

Quote from: number1barber on October 07, 2024, 07:30:57 PMSo own a flat in a block managed by HYDE housing there service is pretty bad issues take months to be sorted and replies take forever.

OCTOBER 2024:
At the beginning of October we receive a updated service charge for the period ending in march 2024 they want £950 by the end of October as we don't pay by direct debit. The statement say estimated responsive maintenance for the estate is £69 actual is £5500 divided by the 8 flats in the block. The building is a row of flats at ground level with a 3 story block at one end which is where i own the flat in the block. We have seen zero works in the last year and nothing that equates to £5500 Many little things that have been done are listed under other sections in the statement. As responses usually take 6 months i have opened an enquiry asking what the charge is and saying we will not pay it until we are given details what the charge is for. Can we do this? The last query we made was 6 months ago and the last update was april 2024 with nothing since. It seems when we pay they just dont bother to respond
The £950 has been added to our online account i just paid the monthly amount of £237.31 but have not paid anything off the £950 

BACKGROUND:
In december last year they sent me a updated service charge for the year ending march 2023 wanting £440 by the end of december. We paid and asked for detail of the charges and chased work that was left undone since april 2023 and also why we was paying window cleaning that never happened. Months later we finally get receipts for the year. By September 2024 work is still left untouched and we are still paying window cleaning the complaint is still open with nothing done since April 2024