Service charges are where most disputes between leaseholders and managing agents start. Usually the issue is not the money itself - it is the lack of a clear explanation. These guides walk through how budgets should be built, how year-end accounts should be presented, what Section 20 consultation actually requires and how to challenge a charge you think is wrong.
Whether you are a leaseholder trying to understand a demand, an RTM director signing off a budget for the first time, or a freeholder facing pushback on a major works project, the articles below aim to give you a practical starting point.
Clear explanation of Section 20 consultation in leasehold blocks: when it applies, the three-stage process, what leaseholders can do, and what happens if a landlord gets it wrong.
The most common service charge problems in leasehold blocks - missing information, late accounts, unreasonable charges, Section 20B issues - and how to deal with them.
A focused guide for Stratford leaseholders on how Section 20 consultation works, what to expect from the consultation in a new-build or higher-risk building, and what you can challenge.
A realistic timeline for Section 20 consultation in East London blocks - 30-day notice periods, observation windows, contractor estimates and the practical reality on top.
When urgent works in a residential block cannot wait for the full 60-day consultation, the Tribunal can grant dispensation. Here is how it works and what evidence is needed.
How Section 20 consultation works when a Right to Manage company holds the management functions - who serves the notices, how directors should approve major works, and the practical reporting that keeps leaseholders comfortable.
How RTM and RMC directors plan, budget, tender and administer a major works project around the Section 20 consultation, from scoping to final account.
A plain-English guide to when Section 20 consultation applies, the three-stage process, what leaseholders can challenge and what happens when it's done wrong.
What you can challenge, how to ask for a breakdown, when to involve the First-tier Tribunal, and how to resolve disputes without falling out with neighbours.
Practical guides on residential block management: fees, contracts, contractors, communal repairs and switching managing agents across Romford and East London..
Guides on Right to Manage, leaseholder rights, lease extensions and how RTM companies work in practice across Romford, East London and Essex..
Guides on residential block compliance: fire safety, EICR, asbestos, gas safety and Building Safety Act duties for RTM companies and freeholders..
Guides on estate management, communal grounds, estate rentcharges and open-space schemes for new-build developments and mixed-tenure estates..
Guides on lettings, legislation updates and operational advice for private landlords across Romford, Havering and East London..
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