Challenging service charges

You can challenge a service charge for a leasehold property if:

the landlord did not follow the correct process for issuing the demand
the terms of your lease do not require you to pay the charge (it’s best to get legal advice on this as leases can be complex)
you think the cost is not reasonable
you do not think the service or work was done to a reasonable standard
you do not think the work was necessary
you think the work could have been done over time to spread high costs
you think the work was only needed because of the landlord’s negligence, such as a failure to properly maintain the building
the landlord did not follow the correct process for consulting leaseholders about major works, and you lost money or rights as a result
the landlord did not issue their demand in time (there is a time limit for recovering service charge costs)

If your challenge progresses to a tribunal or court you will need to prove your grounds for challenging the charge.

There is no set time limit for challenging a service charge, but it's best to raise any concerns within a reasonable time.

You can use your legal rights to ask for information about your service charge to help you decide whether the charge is reasonable.

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