Just in case you guys know the answer...

R0B · 10-02-2018, 04:01 PM

I live on a nice, established housing 'estate' for want of a better term. By and large it's seen as the nicest part of town, and we happen to live in the nicest road within it.

Anyway. The estate has a maze of alleys and small grass areas. This is privately owned and a management company maintain it. They do a fairly average job, and as usual you read the accounts and wonder where the 16k a year grass cutting contractor is currently sunning himself.

But my question is this. Each year they send a bill which is essentially 90 quid per house. Fine, we spend more than that on lunch most Saturdays. But the letter each year states that the price is £200, but £90 of paid before some date in December. The tone is a bit menacing, and it just niggles me.

Does anyone with leasehold / freehold knowledge know whether this is strictly legal? I'd like to call them out on it.

If everyone paid late, and they had over 50% more in the coffers, where would that money go? And even if I paid one day late, would that grass cutting cost more? Sure, they would argue costs in chasing my payment, but we know that's bollocks.

It's minor I know, but it's bugging me. I'll ask my solicitor but thought I'd throw it out here.

Craig-SM · 10-02-2018, 04:54 PM

If you were to try it on and they took legal action against you then it would be up to them to justify the charge.
If you’re unhappy with the management company then speak to other residents about setting up your own Residents Management Company

R0B · 10-02-2018, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig-SM

If you were to try it on and they took legal action against you then it would be up to them to justify the charge.
If you’re unhappy with the management company then speak to other residents about setting up your own Residents Management Company

Not unhappy with them... if they want 90 quid a year for trimming a tree then so be it, no big deal. Just very curious as to the legals behind a two tier pricing structure on a management company that shouldn't be looking to make a profit as their books have to be published.

davyk31 · 10-03-2018, 01:12 AM

Sounds like a very simple early payment discount with the aim of ensuring people pay up. Charges like that are notoriously hard to collect as they can’t economically take a resident to court to pay the £90. So set a charge and say it reduced if you pay by a certain date to incentivise people to pay.

Parking tickets are exactly the same. Pay £90 now or 50% more in two weeks time for example.

10-02-2018, 04:01 PM	#1
R0B Colonel 1535 Rep 2,217 Posts Drives: a car Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Location Location iTrader: (0)	Just in case you guys know the answer... I live on a nice, established housing 'estate' for want of a better term. By and large it's seen as the nicest part of town, and we happen to live in the nicest road within it. Anyway. The estate has a maze of alleys and small grass areas. This is privately owned and a management company maintain it. They do a fairly average job, and as usual you read the accounts and wonder where the 16k a year grass cutting contractor is currently sunning himself. But my question is this. Each year they send a bill which is essentially 90 quid per house. Fine, we spend more than that on lunch most Saturdays. But the letter each year states that the price is £200, but £90 of paid before some date in December. The tone is a bit menacing, and it just niggles me. Does anyone with leasehold / freehold knowledge know whether this is strictly legal? I'd like to call them out on it. If everyone paid late, and they had over 50% more in the coffers, where would that money go? And even if I paid one day late, would that grass cutting cost more? Sure, they would argue costs in chasing my payment, but we know that's bollocks. It's minor I know, but it's bugging me. I'll ask my solicitor but thought I'd throw it out here.
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10-02-2018, 04:54 PM	#2
Craig-SM Captain 325 Rep 709 Posts Drives: BMW 320d M Sport - F30 Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Leeds iTrader: (0)	If you were to try it on and they took legal action against you then it would be up to them to justify the charge. If you’re unhappy with the management company then speak to other residents about setting up your own Residents Management Company
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10-03-2018, 01:12 AM	#4
davyk31 Major General 1045 Rep 6,947 Posts Drives: Macan GTS :-) & F40 M135i Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Northern Ireland iTrader: (0)	Sounds like a very simple early payment discount with the aim of ensuring people pay up. Charges like that are notoriously hard to collect as they can’t economically take a resident to court to pay the £90. So set a charge and say it reduced if you pay by a certain date to incentivise people to pay. Parking tickets are exactly the same. Pay £90 now or 50% more in two weeks time for example.
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