southwark council service charge

[spider69]

Most Leaseholders consider Southwark Service Charges and Major Works obscene.

So it could have been

[fredbear]

At last we have had the over payment charged to us on the Major Works for 2005/06.Southwark have had this money since the work was completed in 2009 not a word of apology or any interest on this large amount of money.If we had owed them money they would have charged interest.

[PeckhamRose]

So send an invoice for the interest, but anyway congratulations! xx

[fredbear]

thanks PeckhamRose

[fredbear]

it all starts over again, southwark are due to start major works again this week.doing the same repairs as 2009 the fight goes on

[spider69]

Look on the bright side, all 20 mph fines could be given to L/H to cover bodged repairs.

As if.

[midivydale]

Fredbar that is insane, what work are they doing?

[fredbear]

Scaffolding the largest ammount,repair stonework,brickwork,window repairs,repair slate roof(it is new)decoration (done last major works),surveys.At this time it is only estimated until a survey is done i have asked to be there.

We also within the total estimate of the contract have to pay for a flag pole,mobile phones,health and safety signage,a residents refuge and identity cards plus other items.

[janesy123]

Hello, Sorry I'm new here and wondering if by coincidence wondering if these are charges relating to the Goschen Estate for which I've just had a bill for ?23,000?

[fredbear]

Try and get before and after photographs and make sure you ask for a complete breakdown of the bill listing all the work done and charged for.

[Robinson15]

Thats a top tip, Fredbear. The one thing that helped me was taking photos of everything that they are 'repairing' as its visual proof they can't dispute, both before and after shots. It's the only thing that has saved me with a few of the repairs they listed. That and witnesses.

Re the 'surveys' they aren't real surveys. I spoke to an insider off the record. It's a man standing on the ground saying that your house exists. Then they send out that S20 with everything on there, assuming it all needs doing. Its a total show survey as they missed alleged subsidence and a giant hole to the rear of the property on my surveys. They then put the onus back on you to dispute at the S20 stage.

They also make you pay the estimate, not an actual charge. For some reason, they are very cagey about the actual charges. Can't think why?

fredbear Wrote:

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> Try and get before and after photographs and make

> sure you ask for a complete breakdown of the bill

> listing all the work done and charged for.

[fredbear]

thats true Robinson15 with our last major works which finished 5 years ago they made us start paying the estimate approx ?8500 AFTER WE HAD PAID ?2700 I complained the final bill was ?1800.We are now waiting for the bill for the current major works estimate ?4700.

[fredbear]

Just received our actual service charge for 2014/15 responsive repairs up from ?83 to ?337 no explanation just 1 month to pay.Asked for a breakdown of charges. I expect the tenant downstairs has called them out.The fight begins

[ontheedge]

Join the club an extra ?284 to pay here

[melvininthepalace]

just got mine last night for ?325.36, can anyone beat that?

[spider69]

I am told that the Divisional Manager of Homeownership/Leasehold Management has parted company with Southwark and the combined parts that made the department an integrated one stop shop has had its services and management farmed out to other departments. So instead of a dedicated department for leasehold matters they will now I expect have to take on other duties.

I.e.If Service Charges come under the remit of an income collections department it is likely that something like rent collection will be one of their functions. How Service Charges and rents are like for like remains to be seen.

All other services Major Works for example have been put under the management of other departments.

I wish you luck in trying to sort things out. It can only get more frustrating.

Perhaps Cllr Barber could explain more

[buddug]

Don't forget. There is the Tier One Tribunal where you can contest these charges. Always fight them. They have nothing but contempt for tenants and leaseholders alike. There is something rotten at the core of Southwark's housing department and it needs to be challenged big-time now.

As for Councillor Barber - and I'm not bashing councillors here as I do think they are amazing in that they usually have to hold down a job as well as doing what they do by giving up their spare time, and he does give that time to engage here ? but all he will say is 'Buy the freehold'. But it's often not possible if others in your block or house don't want to or you don't have ?10,000 to spare. He's living in la la land, really, where everyone is monied, I'm afraid.

And as for Mike Balfour, the council manager expressing his shock/horror here about what's going on, he's known very well how things are, going right back to the days of the cowboys Botes, who went into administration eventually. And the company before that was dreadful too. Not to mention Morrisons after them. Disaster. I have to say, though, that in most instances Mike did act whenever I contacted him, so he's genuine to some degree. And brave and decent of him to come on the forum, to be honest. He and I have a love/hate relationship, as you might have gathered...

[VixSta]

melvininthepalace Wrote:

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> just got mine last night for ?325.36, can anyone

> beat that?

Yep I can, mine is ?382. Sad times.

[fredbear]

if you add what you have already paid for resposive repairs plus the new amount and this is only 50% in my case what have they done for approx ?750.admin charge is also 10% of bill plus an overheads fee.

[fredbear]

got our copy of the breakdown of resposive repairs

1 repair 3 handles on downstairs tenents windows ?80

2 repair two roof leaks only one was done ?80

3 scaffolding tower for above (we believe they used a ladder and went over the roof) ?400

4 overheads ?120

now we have to query costs but only 2 weeks left before payment

[MirandaS]

I am quite baffled about the actual service charge which was issued on 24/09 and then a reminder letter sent on 12/10. The estimated service charge was ?96.45 and the actual is ?609.83 so in total I am required to a difference of ?568.60. My property is a one bed first floor flat in a converted Victorian Terrace. The property downstairs is council owned. I have not had any work on my flat undertaken by the council.

The council are just about to start major work (painting windows and front of the houses) on the row of Victoria houses in the street, the cost of this over ?6000.

Can anyone advise how I can challenge the recent service charge bill?

[spider69]

As for a full itemised breakdown of all repairs.

As a leaseholder you are required in your case if a two flat property to contribute 50% of all responsive and structural repair costs.

Downside of a Council leasehold property

[MirandaS]

I have spoken to my neighbour from downstairs and he has not had any work done or called the council out. However prior to him moving in the flat was completely refurbished due to the previous tenant causing substantial damage to the property- he was growing cannabis and the property was not habitable. So would I be liable to pay 50% of the cost for them renovating the flat?

[Charles Notice]

If it was internal repairs I suspect not.

Responsive repairs are for structural repairs not internal flat repairs.

I would challenge and get your local Cllr to take the matter up.

[Asset]

I haven't read through all the pages here but just wanted to say that I took Southwark to the LVT over service charges and now pay none.

The council fought me all the way and were incredibly obstructive and as a result it was a tedious and time consuming process but for me had a good outcome.

during the process all sorts of ridiculous charges that the council couldn't back up at all were discovered so it is worth keeping on it and insisting for clarity and information - not something they were willing to give..