rstark
07-06-2010, 16:43 PM
A bit of a sticky situation, involving really slow solicitors and bad service from the management company.
I closed on my leasehold flat at the end of August last year but through many mix-ups, change of staff and slow progress, my solicitors only managed to serve the notice of assignment recently (that's a 9+ month delay). I have now received a letter from the management company and been presented a service charge bill backdated since August of last year to the tune of £1,000+.
Back when I moved in around August I immediately called the management company to ask about service charges and I was told that I would have to wait till I received a letter from them (along with the contract I presumed). I was transparent the whole time about the solicitor situation and had been trying to seek out information from my management company to find out how much the service charges would approximately be and pretty much trying to offer them ways to convince them that I was the new owner and to allow me to make payment. They continued to send letters to my flat in the previous occupant's name.
I had to call many times to be referred around to different members of staff, who were usually short with me and rude, kinda sounding like they were being disturbed on their lunch break. Sometimes I was told I would get a call back and when I never heard back I ended up calling them back (this got tiring).
Eventually I was told that there was nothing I could do and that I couldn't ask them for any information because they would only talk to my solicitors regarding service charges (on the flip side my council were understanding and made it very easy for me to make my council tax payments and change the name over from the previous occupant).
In short, I had no idea what the contract for service charge entailed this whole time and to be honest, the job they had been doing isn't satisfactory (failing to sweep the communal areas properly or mopping when required - there is also a bigger issue of windows and roofing not being up to scratch too). This delay and the way they communicate has been really tiring and stressful on my part.
I am about to draft a letter of complaint to the solicitors and the management company so could anyone please offer any advice or tips on how to proceed with the management company?
I have read the LTA 1987 (including service charges in s20B) and was wondering if it is actually lawful for management companies to backdate service charge like this without presenting any sort of contract beforehand (since full dislosure should be at play)?
Cheers! :)
I closed on my leasehold flat at the end of August last year but through many mix-ups, change of staff and slow progress, my solicitors only managed to serve the notice of assignment recently (that's a 9+ month delay). I have now received a letter from the management company and been presented a service charge bill backdated since August of last year to the tune of £1,000+.
Back when I moved in around August I immediately called the management company to ask about service charges and I was told that I would have to wait till I received a letter from them (along with the contract I presumed). I was transparent the whole time about the solicitor situation and had been trying to seek out information from my management company to find out how much the service charges would approximately be and pretty much trying to offer them ways to convince them that I was the new owner and to allow me to make payment. They continued to send letters to my flat in the previous occupant's name.
I had to call many times to be referred around to different members of staff, who were usually short with me and rude, kinda sounding like they were being disturbed on their lunch break. Sometimes I was told I would get a call back and when I never heard back I ended up calling them back (this got tiring).
Eventually I was told that there was nothing I could do and that I couldn't ask them for any information because they would only talk to my solicitors regarding service charges (on the flip side my council were understanding and made it very easy for me to make my council tax payments and change the name over from the previous occupant).
In short, I had no idea what the contract for service charge entailed this whole time and to be honest, the job they had been doing isn't satisfactory (failing to sweep the communal areas properly or mopping when required - there is also a bigger issue of windows and roofing not being up to scratch too). This delay and the way they communicate has been really tiring and stressful on my part.
I am about to draft a letter of complaint to the solicitors and the management company so could anyone please offer any advice or tips on how to proceed with the management company?
I have read the LTA 1987 (including service charges in s20B) and was wondering if it is actually lawful for management companies to backdate service charge like this without presenting any sort of contract beforehand (since full dislosure should be at play)?
Cheers! :)