Apartment service charges

[peoffrey]

I’m home hunting now and am weighing up the convenience of a flat over the responsibility of a house. I figure the latter takes more looking after.

Every block of flats / apartments is listed as coming with an additional service charge. They’re varying from £60 a month to £150! That’s quite the bill on top of everything else.

I’m assuming they’re standard? Are they worth it? They clean your windows, take care of the rubbish and tidy the communal gardens. Some have a concierge service too.

I just don’t want to be overpaying for something I shouldn’t have to. I’d sooner go for a house otherwise.

Help?!

 

[TINY]

I’m home hunting now and am weighing up the convenience of a flat over the responsibility of a house. I figure the latter takes more looking after.

Every block of flats / apartments is listed as coming with an additional service charge. They’re varying from £60 a month to £150! That’s quite the bill on top of everything else.

I’m assuming they’re standard? Are they worth it? They clean your windows, take care of the rubbish and tidy the communal gardens. Some have a concierge service too.

I just don’t want to be overpaying for something I shouldn’t have to. I’d sooner go for a house otherwise.

Help?!

You’ll either pay it with a service charge, or your rent will be higher. It’s pretty standard, but £150pm seem over the odds rbh unless you’re moving in the QE2? If so then it’s probably reasonable.

There are a number of things that apartment blocks will sort that do make your life a bit easier. My main advice if you’re weighing the two types up is get some outside space in an apartment, balcony, or ground floor and a garden area.

 

[jaseirai]

I’m home hunting now and am weighing up the convenience of a flat over the responsibility of a house. I figure the latter takes more looking after.

Every block of flats / apartments is listed as coming with an additional service charge. They’re varying from £60 a month to £150! That’s quite the bill on top of everything else.

I’m assuming they’re standard? Are they worth it? They clean your windows, take care of the rubbish and tidy the communal gardens. Some have a concierge service too.

I just don’t want to be overpaying for something I shouldn’t have to. I’d sooner go for a house otherwise.

Help?!

I pay £1300 per year and that's one of the cheapest in the area (Birmingham).
£2500 isn't unusual and I know a few that are a great deal more.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

My lad has rented two apartments in the last couple of years and personally I wouldn’t recommend it. Communal areas were not well maintained and the noise from other tenants was a permanent feature and the build quality was poor. If you do go down that route make sure you choose well and check who your neighbours are. Also check if the Service charge can go up by more than inflation.

 

[peoffrey]

Thanks all. Silly money to have the lawn mowed then? I had thought they might include something important I’d not realised - but obviously not.

I’m downsizing our family owned London house and cash buying outside of the capital so I’ve got a good amount of money to play with. Flats are cheaper but may well prove more expensive and less valuable in the long term.

Big thing to get right too. Most important purchase in years.

 

[the-ecstacy-of-eight]

House all day, every day mate.

I'm in an apartment at the moment, approx. £1,200 PA for somebody to wash your windows, change light-bulbs in communal areas and fix an electric car park gate which breaks every couple of months (don't imagine a house would have one of those so it's kinda moot). They also look after the upkeep of the external areas, but there are so many rules and regulations regarding the use of these area that nobody here really uses them, or if they do they get letters saying "don't dry your washing outside it's against the rules". Apartment living is a pain in the arse and not worth the hassle. IMO

Also you've got more "next-door-neighbours" (left-right-up-down) so the probability of one or more of them being a cnut is vastly increased.

Suppose it all depends on what stage of your life you're at and what responsibilities you want to take on.

 

[Bovril]

I pay £75 a Month lawn, windows, hallways and general surroundings. A bit steep in my opinion but they do a good job and the place always looks immaculate, I'm on the 3rd floor (by choice) so don't really reap the rewards.

 

[denislawsbackheel]

You don’t need buildings insurance.
It’s covered by the charges.

 

[DavidWhitesBoots]

I do alot of maintenance (mainly electrical) on apartment buildings for managing agents, the most pertinent issue is leaks, if the person above you has a leak you have a real issue.
Also remember the service charge goes to the general upkeep of the building fabric / roof. This can be a huge expense of the building needs a new roof, some run to 100k or more. The agents have to build a pot for such eventualitys some badly designed buildings pump the water supply up to manifolds at roof level and gravity feed the apartments, I've attended after one of these failed, and half the block was evacuated for 4months.
Not all are bad you need to find one with a good managing agent though, some do nothing until the fire officer is due a visit....
Needless to say I'd never by or rent an apartment regardless of the service charges.

 

[Blue Maverick]

Stay clear of them, we had nothing but problems when we had a house with it, they take your money then half the time don’t even do what they are supposed to, but if you try to,withhold cash until they do it, they threaten you etc. Get a house with no charges.