Service Charges
Service charges help cover the cost of maintaining and managing shared areas and communal services across your building or estate.
A service charge is a payment made by a tenant, leaseholder or homeowner towards the cost of services, repairs and maintenance that are shared across a building or estate.
Service charges are collected in accordance with the terms set out within each individual lease or agreement.
If you live in a block of flats or on an estate with shared spaces, the cost of maintaining those communal areas is shared between residents. This is because the spaces and services are available for everyone to use and are not part of any individual property.
If you are a leaseholder, your service charge may include:
- Ground rent
- Buildings insurance
- Management fees
- Responsive repairs
- Estate and block maintenance
- Communal services
If you are a freeholder, your charges may include:
- Estate maintenance
- Routine estate repairs
- Management fees
Examples of services that may be included within a service charge are:
- Cleaning and caretaking of communal areas, including hallways and stairwells
- Communal heating and hot water maintenance
- Lift maintenance
- CCTV maintenance
- Door entry system maintenance
- Grounds maintenance and gardening
We aim to be clear and transparent about service charges and the services residents receive.
If you would like more information about how service charges work, please view our guide below.
If you have questions about your service charge or would like further information, please contact the Customer Resolution Team on 020 8709 4300.