Service Charge Disputes l Nelsons Solicitors l East Midlands

Experts in handling service charge disputes

Service charges in property leases are charges levied by the landlord to the tenant for the provision of certain services outlined in the lease agreement. Common examples of service charges can include:

Building repair, maintenance and improvement costs
The upkeep and management of the “estate” and/or “communal areas”
Insurance liabilities
In some leases, the supply of utilities such as gas, electricity and water

The service charges can go up or down during the duration of the lease. They are controlled by the landlord who usually has the expenditure certified by their accountant. In many cases, this certification is strong documentary evidence that the charges being passed on to the tenant are “reasonable”.

Need advice? Contact us!

Disagreements concerning service charges

Problems between a landlord and tenant can often arise when the tenant does not agree with an increase to their associated services charges, or due to the fact that they are unable to afford them. The tenant may also argue that certain charges for repairs or improvements are being carried out unnecessarily and are not essential, or that the work being done isn’t to a good standard.

Furthermore, arguments often arise in respect of communal areas or plant/machinery (lifts and escalators being the classic examples), where the tenant will often seek to argue that such plant/machinery does not benefit them and so they ought not to pay. In any of these instances, if you are a landlord and are experiencing these issues with a tenant then it is vital to seek legal advice and expertise as soon as possible to know where you stand.

Testimonials…

"Nelsons Solicitors Limited's team, which is based in Nottingham and Derby, has particular expertise in commercial and residential landlord and tenant disputes, planning law cases and breach of contract disputes..."
The Legal 500
"...Simon Waterfield has vast experience of landlord and tenant disputes, including those concerning forfeiture, dilapidations and contested rent review applications. He also has niche expertise in flooding disputes."
The Legal 500 (Continued)
"Excellent problem-solving and an ability to quickly get to the nub of an issue. Quickly able to offer solutions even when involving third parties to allow issues to be dealt with resulting in minimal fuss and allowing us to get on with our jobs."
Referee feedback provided to The Legal 500 2023
"A law firm stands or falls on the quality of its people and, in this regard, the Nelson’s Property Litigation Team are, in my experience, all excellent."
Referee feedback provided to The Legal 500 2023
"Nelsons has knowledgable and approachable litigators. They seem to offer good value for the service they provide. They are accustomed to dealing with a broad range of property matters, and so are well-placed to deal with complex property litigation."
Referee feedback provided to The Legal 500 2024
"Nelsons have a standout regional property team with strength in depth across a number of offices in the East Midlands."
Referee feedback provided to The Legal 500 2024

How we can help with service charge disputes

At Nelsons, our property dispute solicitors can provide assistance with service charge disputes for landlords. We have a proven track record of getting the best possible outcome for our clients in these types of disputes.

Arguments regarding service charge costs can often be time-consuming, expensive and cause a great deal of stress. But they don’t need to be. Our team manages the risks for our clients, anticipating potential hurdles and trying to resolve each service charge dispute in the most time and cost-efficient manner.

The team will always consider forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution, such as mediation, in an attempt to stop a case from going to Court. But if it does, our teams’ strategic expertise counts for everything.

Our expert team is recommended by the independently-researched publication, The Legal 500, as one of the top teams of specialists in the country.

If you are a landlord involved in a service charge disagreement with a tenant, please contact a member of our team in Derby, Leicester or Nottingham on 0800 024 1976 or via our online enquiry form.