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Service Charges: Can't Pay, Won't Pay- What RTM Companies Need to Know

If you live in a block of flats, you’ll know that service charges are the lifeblood of the building. They pay for everything from insurance and cleaning to repairs and long-term maintenance. But what happens when some leaseholders don’t pay? Sometimes it’s a case of ...

Read    22/09/2025

Defective Leases and Service Charges: Who Pays the Price?

Life in a leasehold flat isn’t always simple, especially when the lease itself has problems. Some leases leave out key clauses, like how to recover certain costs through the service charge. This can leave freeholders, resident management companies, and leaseholders s...

Read    22/09/2025

Collecting Money Outside the Service Charge: What Are the Options?

Running a block of flats in the UK isn’t always straightforward. When the roof starts leaking or the outside needs repainting, the costs can be huge. Normally, the money for this comes from the service charge or the reserve fund (if there is one). But what happens i...

Read    22/09/2025

Service Charges and Future Planning: Why a CapEx Plan Matters

If you live in a leasehold flat or help run a residents’ management company, you’ll know that service charges are often a hot topic. But what about planning ahead for the big stuff? That’s where a capital expenditure plan, or CapEx plan for short, comes in. It might ...

Read    22/09/2025

Service Charges and Reserve Funds Explained

If you own a flat in the UK, you’ve probably come across the words ‘service charge’ and ‘reserve fund’. These two things are part of everyday life in leasehold blocks, but they can feel a bit confusing. What’s the difference between them? Should they be kept apart? A...

Read    22/09/2025

Managing Small Blocks of Flats: What Happens Without a Reserve Fund Clause?

If you live in or manage a small block of flats in the UK, you’ll know that service charges can be a tricky subject. One of the big questions that comes up is what to do when the lease doesn’t have a reserve fund clause. Reserve funds are useful for saving towards bi...

Read    22/09/2025

The Trials and Tribulations of Leaseholders and Management Companies

Having a flat in the UK means you have to deal with all kinds of special rules when it comes to being a property owner, or leaseholder. For many leaseholders (referred to as tenants under landlord and tenant laws), the service charge and the management arrangements...

Read    22/09/2025

Can Leaseholders Really Manage Their Own Block of Flats

If you live in a block of flats, you’ve probably groaned at the sight of your latest service charge demand. Many leaseholders think, *“Surely we can do this better ourselves?”* On paper, self-managing your block sounds like a great idea. No managing agent’s fees, mor...

Read    22/09/2025

Private Landlord Exodus Accelerates as Reforms and Rising Costs Pressure Rental Market

The UK’s private rental sector is experiencing growing instability as many landlords begin selling their properties in response to rising costs, regulatory changes, and the anticipated Renters’ Rights Bill. Official data and independent research indicate that many pr...

Read    18/08/2025

Freeholders claim Human Rights infringed in Legal Battle Over Leasehold Reforms

Leaseholders have been blocked from intervening in a legal challenge brought by freeholders against key parts of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. A Court of Appeal judge rejected applications from the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership (LKP) and several consu...

Read    18/08/2025

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