southwark council service charge

[fredbear]

Has anyone had their service charge for 2012/13 which includes a charge for block lighting and electricity ?.This is really a charge for electrical testing and inspection of electrics in the communal areas.The council are insisting that this is a charge for leaseholders but at present are unable to tell me what was tested,the area involved is about 10'by 5' in a terraced house the charge is half of ?452 i.e.?226. Could anyone also tell me if it is easy to go to the Leaseholders Valuation Tribunal.

Thanks

[stephen509]

Sounds about right for a electrical report.

You are paying for elecrical report & certificates needed.

[PeckhamRose]

Hi

First, some links with information:

http://www.justice.gov.uk/tribunals/property-chamber

Firstly, before you get to LVT you should try and get to the Housing CAB. They could help you bring any case you have. Also try going directly to the Home Ownership Unit on Abbeyfield Road in Bermondsey, make an appointment with a name on your invoice.

I recently did this and challenged and invoice wanting an extra ?2000 off me, and they admitted they had over charged me nearly a thousand pounds of it! They so very nearly got away with it.

And very importantly the Leaseholders Association of Southwark are having a meeting at 7pm at Pasley Tenants and residents Association, Stopford Road, London SE17. I urge all Southwark Leaseholders to come along and also join LAS. LAS is all run by Volunteers and so if you have any time, or skills you can offer, they/we would be very grateful as some very experienced and helpful members of the Committee are now resigning and organisations like this do need more input from us.

Hope some of this helps. PM me with your email address and I shall forward you a PDF file being LAS's latest newsletter.

[fredbear]

although they have said the work has been done they are unable to send a report or a certificate.

thanks

[spider69]

fredbear Wrote:

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> although they have said the work has been done

> they are unable to send a report or a

> certificate.

> thanks

Get your local Cllr to put your questions to them via a Cllrs inquiry and also get your MP to do the same via a Members inquiry.

You will be surprised just how quick they respond. All inquirys are logged and have a time limit in which a response is required.

No Council Officer likes getting such a request which is flagged to managers

Any charge ask for a complete break down. dont take no for an answer

The LVT is a last result

[fredbear]

stephen509 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sounds about right for a electrical report.

>

> You are paying for elecrical report & certificates

> needed.

this was not the whole house just the entrance lobby with two light switches plus incoming main which has been covered over.

[SeanHitz]

Hi all,

I recently emailed the council to question this charge too, and this is the response I got:

To clarify the term block is used by Southwark to define the building in which your property is within. So whether it be a flat within a large storey block or a flat within a Victorian house the definition is known as a block.

The block lighting charge was invoiced to leaseholder following an electrical testing that took place to street properties borough wide. I have copied below some further information in regards to the electrical testing work.

To comply with the Electricity at Work Regulations (EWR), Periodic Electrical Installation Testing is carried out at recommended intervals to ascertain the electrical installation is still in a satisfactory condition and hence is safe to leave in service

Landlords and Employers have a legal responsibility to comply with the EWR, and could be prosecuted in the event of an incident, if it was seen reasonable practicable steps had not been undertaken ( Testing being seen as a practicable step). Evidence of the testing of electrical installations is seen as a high risk issue in fire risk assessments

The main purpose of Electrical Periodic Testing is to detect so far as reasonably practicable, any defects impairing or likely to impair safety of the installation

? Safety of persons against the effects of electrical shocks & burns

? Protection against damage to property by fire and heat arising from an installation defect

? Confirmation that he installation is not a danger or deteriorated so as to impair safety

? Identification of any non-compliances, or installation defects which may give rise to danger

[verds]

Yes, I'm being charged for this too. I challenged the high cost and was told it was fire risk assessment/electrical testing works, but I can't remember it taking more than a few minutes, so it sounds like a bit of a rip-off.

[James Barber]

Please do get in touch with LAS2000 who are a represenation council leaseholder organisation in OSuthwakr and I'd be also happy to take up your case.

[PeckhamRose]

LAS have not responded to two of my letters even with SAEs.

I think they are overwhelmed and their expert-volunteer base is a bit low as some are retiring.

So I would suggest turning up to their Meeting as advised above in my earlier post.

Ask not what your LAS can do for you but what you can do for LAS2000!

They ARE useful and have done some incredible work in identifying where Southwark Council vastly over charges service charges and so on, but they're not miracle workers and they need new people to come and support and help them do their work for the benefit of all Southwark Leaseholders.

Just sayin'.

[midivydale]

We have also been presented with the above bill and I fully intend to dispute it.

Many Thanks PeckhamRose for posting the details of the next meeting. Can we just come along?

[fredbear]

midivydale Wrote:

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> We have also been presented with the above bill

> and I fully intend to dispute it.

> Many Thanks PeckhamRose for posting the details of

> the next meeting. Can we just come along?

don't just email the person at the top of your bill go further up the chain.

[verds]

Who's further up the chain?

I have emailed Nick D'Cruze at Southwark Council, but have now come to a bit of a dead end with this.

[PeckhamRose]

Yes you can come along. Just turn up and then join. I can't remember how much it is to be a member or joint member but I think it is about ?15. Which ain't bad considering they saved me so much in the past with their knowledge and advice!

But as for the 'chain', asking to speak to the name on the invoice IS a good idea, which is what I did and asked a lot of informed questions, hence they then went back to the people they had to get back to and later told me they had made a mistake to the tune of nearly ?1,000.

Look up the eighteen month rule. I'll try and come back about that later.

[PeckhamRose]

LAS (Leaseholders Association of Southwark)

meet at

7.00pm

at

Pasley Tenants and Residents Association

Stopford Road

London SE17

on

Thursday 28th November 2013

at 7.00pm.

This group as I said is run by volunteers who have built up great skills and contacts with the Council over the years but not many new people join or help out.

They need new members with skills and a bit of time to help out.

Hope to see you there.

Do send me a private message with your email address so I can email you a PDF file of their latest newsletter.

[rn22]

I've also had this charge for electrical repairs, and likewise recollect the work taking very little time. I'm unable to attend the LAS meeting but if this issue is discussed, please could someone post the outcomes here? I would be happy to join a group response to these charges if that's the most effective way of getting them reviewed.

Thank you, particularly Peckham Rose for the info about the LAS and next meeting.

[fredbear]

I have contacted James Barber about this issue and he is going to take up my case.Our entrance hall has 2 light switches 2 lights and the main supply which is boxed in they therefore only did a visual report.That cost ?452 we therfore pay?226

[fredbear]

I hope a lot more people write to Southwark about these charges .They charge for things but are unable to say what has been done or provide a test report/certificate.

[spider69]

See my post of 12th November, all the breakdowns for work are available as these

are needed to produce the Actuals

[fredbear]

thanks spider69 they have supplied a visual report sheet which must have taken all of 5 mins but they cannot supply a test certificate which should be available if testing has taken place.For the amount of money they have charged it should be quite detailed.The entrance hall only cosists of 2 light switches 2 lights and a boxed in mains cable.

[PeckhamRose]

A reminder that TONIGHT 7.00pm Thursday 28th November 2013 is a meeting of Leaseholders Association of Southwark. If you are not a member JOIN there at the meeting. I can not remember how much it is a year or for joint membership but anyway come and learn how things work at LAS and the council.

VENUE Pasley Tenants and Residents Association Hall

Stopford Road London SE17.

The following should assist if the link works!

View Larger Map

[verds]

Has anyone had any luck with challenging this?

Southwark have now provided photos and a checklist, plus a bill for ?450 for the check and ?120 for 'income supply enclosure'.

Apart from saying: 'That's really expensive for half an hour's work', I feel like I don't have much of a case to argue, but wondered if anyone else was getting anywhere?

[midivydale]

I have emailed James Barber who has escalated it further on our behalf. Have not had a response yet.

[fredbear]

verds Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Has anyone had any luck with challenging this?

>

> Southwark have now provided photos and a

> checklist, plus a bill for ?450 for the check and

> ?120 for 'income supply enclosure'.

>

> Apart from saying: 'That's really expensive for

> half an hour's work', I feel like I don't have

> much of a case to argue, but wondered if anyone

> else was getting anywhere?

we have had to pay the bill but are still chalenging it.james barber has contacted the council on our behalf.we are still trying to get proof of testing.they have sent us a visual report but the date did not fit in with swanns testing.the more people who write the better

[fabfor]

Anyone had any luck with this yet?

I've also had a ?400+ bill for "actuals" and am still challenging this (in spite of threatening letters).