leasehold major works

[fivenecks]

Hi

I do not know if in the right forum but I am a leaseholder of a flat from a local authority but has now been taken over by aprivate company , i put my own double glazing in and now they are doing the double glazing themselves and i think they want to charge me for the rest of the other properties but I am sure I was told by the local authority that mine had to be like for like and my only contributions would be for the communal stairwell windows and not my own and other properties, is this right.

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

Roy

[mariner51]

Is this a social housing flat with new Housing Association?

[fivenecks]

Hi was local authority social housing now been taken over by a new private managing company so we have to answer to them for service charge etc and not the council

[andydd]

What does the lease say ? Is it upto you or the landlord to replace the windows ? Technically you could be in breach of the lease if its the landlord responsibilty, it is after all his property, as you are a leaseholder, you rent it off him for 99/199/999 years (whatever the lease says).

 

I dont really understand what you mean about paying for other properties, what would normally happen is the landlord would be for example, the landlord would replace all the windows in the flats and bill you a percenatge as per your lease, i.e 10 flats each pay 10% each.

 

It is questionable though if installing double glazing is allowed under the lease, normally it is to repair, maintain, etc and improvements cant be claimed back via the service charge.

 

There are umpteen loops for landlord to jump through before they can charge you, could you scan the paperwork and post it here, removing personal details ?

[andydd]

As to your second question, it may be the council is still the landlord (or freeholder) and has employed another company to manage the properties and reclaim the service charges, if the freehold has genuinelly been sold this maybe wrong as you and all leaseholders are suppossed to be informed and given an opportunity to buy the freehold.