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Sheffield council - overcharging leaseholders?

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Anyone else concerned with how the council appear to be carrying out the process of refurbishment work invoicing to people who own their own flat or property?

We constantly receive invoices for our share of work done communally on a block of flats ( which we don't have an issue with ) but recently have received a demand for over £2k for roofline works.

The original letter of intent where we had chance to raise objections stated clearly the cost per block was just over £5k. It would appear the exact same work is now somewhere near £20k having been initially tendered and us advised accordingly at the time.

The only communication since is this new demand. No explanation whatsoever as to how it multiplied in cost by 4 times original.

 

It's endless with the council as the properties are always subject to communal work but the way the charges spiral is criminal and without explanation. Once the invoice arrives there is no offer or plan to repay over anything more than 12 months, it's just 'pay up".

 

We now believe that we have been mislead with the original letter stating the tendered prices and cost per block and that it's now unreasonable to come back for 4 x the amount when no additional work has been done and no explanation given.

 

Anyone else feel they are being taken for a ride purely because the property was bought off the council? Legal opinions may be sought as to the legality of doing so.

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The Council, like all other freeholders and management companies, must comply with the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. Sections 18 to 30 cover service charges and the information to be provided- with any demand- to the leaseholder.

See http://www.lease-advice.org/publications/documents/document.asp?item=14

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This is part of an email that a council sent

 

"As we have been unable to consult with you or provide anticipated costs for the works, the maximum that could be charged to your account for this work is £250. However I am pleased to inform you that on this occasion a decision has been made by the Asset Management Service Manager to waive any charges."

 

Draw from that what you will.

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This is a bit more serious when they tell you the block work is 5k and a year later it's jumped to 22k and no explanation why. They had the cheek to say you won't be invoiced for 6 months at least. You couldn't make it up.

We may need legal advice but thanks for the reading material Jeffrey will have a good look. Awaiting a response from them at present as to why their outline quotation managed to quadruple AFTER the tender was won by Keir and the prices were published to us.

 

---------- Post added 13-02-2016 at 23:04 ----------

 

This is part of an email that a council sent

 

"As we have been unable to consult with you or provide anticipated costs for the works, the maximum that could be charged to your account for this work is £250. However I am pleased to inform you that on this occasion a decision has been made by the Asset Management Service Manager to waive any charges."

 

Draw from that what you will.

 

What was that in relation to if you don't mind me asking?

Edited by ChrisT70

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is there enough of you to set up a "right to manage" company? have you looked at how to appeal this decision? im interested in this because someone I know is thinking about buying their flat and ive warned them to look into it further about these same issues. good luck and get back to us when you find out :thumbsup:

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One of their letters mentions previous objections at the initial consultation letter stage but we have no way of knowing who they are or how to contact them directly.

We just want to be treated fairly. If something is going to cost 4 times as much as the winning tender there must be a legal and logical reason and it should be explained in writing. A legally won tender is just that and the price should be firm not end up in multiples of.

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You will want to dig out all your paperwork on the lease and see what the exact wording is.

 

You will probably want to push the matter of the charges being un-reasonable, especially considering the original quote was 5K not 22K.

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We've written a formal objection as it's 4 times the original notice of intent and no explanation of the overcharging has been given.

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is there enough of you to set up a "right to manage" company? have you looked at how to appeal this decision? im interested in this because someone I know is thinking about buying their flat and ive warned them to look into it further about these same issues. good luck and get back to us when you find out

No.

RTM does not apply if the freehold reversion is owned by a Local Housing Authority.

See para. 4 of Schedule 6 to the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002.

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No.

RTM does not apply if the freehold reversion is owned by a Local Housing Authority.

See para. 4 of Schedule 6 to the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002.

would that mean council or housing association or both ?

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Hi ChrisT70,just read your post about Sheffield City Council and refurbishment work and letters of intention,estimated costs and final demands.RE:Roofline work,got the same problem as yourself at this point in time.All the costs etc and I feel the same as you about correspondence from LMT and their piratical charging.I have sent in letters of objection,e-mails,phone calls about this and other matters over the last few years and usually,after a couple of weeks,get some smug reply.I personally am sick and tired of paying out almost every year for some so called necessary work and I firmly believe that the Leaseholders are being charged top dollar for this work.I've no problem with service charges etc but sick of the rest of it.My next door neighbour,a Leaseholder,is fuming about the costs associated with this roofline work and a know quite a few Leaseholders within a 100mtrs of myself who are all up in arms about these costs.If the Sheffield City Council Leaseholders got together and signed a petition maybe then Sheffield City Council would sit up and take notice of how unhappy the Leaseholders are,because surely 100% of Leaseholders don't like the present set up.Any suggestions anyone?

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Can't you do collective enfranchisement?

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