Leaseholder service charges and major works FAQ
Here you will find answers to frequently asked questions regarding Service Charges and Major Works.
1. Why do I have to pay for service charges?
Under the terms of a lease, we are obliged to maintain and manage a block and the estate on which it sits. Both the lease and legislation also specify that the cost of doing so is to be recovered from residents.
2. Not all of the services I pay for in my service charges are being provided. What should I do?
You can call our Contact Centre, 01296 732600, and report any situation where the service isn’t being provided or is not being provided to a reasonable standard. This will be passed to the relevant department who can then investigate it. You can also email our Contact Centre team.
3. Why do I have to pay for other people fly tipping?
There is a significant cost that we have to pay to visit incidents of Fly Tipping. We remove the Fly Tipping, clear up the area and make safe where necessary and then travel to dispose of the Fly Tipping safely and economically. We also work closely with the local counsil to monitor and resolve incidents of Fly Tipping in our area. Where we can identify the perpetrator we will recharge the cost of the Fly Tipping in full to the individual/s responsible – however where it is not possible to do so, the cost of providing this service will instead be recovered by all residents that live within the affected area.
4. Can I get a breakdown of what I am paying for and who do I contact about this this?
You can contact our Contact Centre by email or call 01296 732600, and ask to speak to the Service Charge Team who will be happy to provide you with this information.
5. I am in arrears with my service charges. What should I do?
You can call our Contact Centre, 01296 732600, and ask to speak to The Leasehold Team who will
help you with this, or you can email them at homeowners@Fairhive.co.uk
6. What is a Section 20?
If a single repair or service is going to cost more than £250.00 to a single leaseholder, it is classified as ‘qualifying major works’ and we will need to begin a consultation process, known as ‘Section 20’. Similarly, we will by law be required to carry out Section 20 Consultation where we wish to enter into a contract that will cost a single leaseholder more than £100 in any one year. The purpose of the ‘S20’ process is to protect leaseholders by stating in advance what works will be carried out and sourcing multiple quotes from different contractors and being transparent about this. This ensures landlords cannot carry out any major works without notifying residents of what they are and why they are necessary and it also protects the leaseholder from unreasonable charges.
7. When do I have to start paying towards major works?
Payment is required to begin within 30 days of your final invoice.
8. I am worried as I cannot afford the repayments for my major works bill. What can I do?
You can contact our Contact Centre by email or call 01296 732600, and ask to speak to the Service Charge Team who will be happy to provide you with this information.
9. Why are the works required now?
We are obligated to maintain and manage the long term maintenance obligations for the block. The reason the works are being undertaken now is that elements ( i.e. roof , flat roof etc.) have been highlighted by our Asset Management system records as reaching the end of their expected life cycles. When this happens the elements are then checked with on site surveys to see if the works are required which then formulates the works programme.
We take into account when doing these survey checks that the existing elements will comfortably last to the next cycle of works… as we endeavour not to visit the same site within a six year period, this not only prevents leaseholders from receiving bills year on year for major works but also ensures that when we do carry the works out it is with value for money in mind.
We programme the works in this manner and don’t wait until an element to completely fail which can result in damage of other components and ultimately significantly increased costs all round.
Questions?
If you have any questions, remember you can call our contact centre and ask to speak to the Leasehold Team, or email us on homeowners@Fairhive.co.uk.
