Christopher Houghton represented his client at the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal at Cardiff. The landlord had carried out certain essential repairs to the property which incurred a service charge obligation upon the tenant of approximately £1,250. The tenant argued that the works carried out by the landlord did not fall within the service charge provisions of the lease and that the landlord had not complied with the relevant requirements of statute in consulting with the tenant before the works were carried out. Christopher was able to establish to the satisfaction of the Tribunal that the tenant’s grounds of objection were misplaced. The Tribunal agreed!”
The Leasehold Valuation Tribunal considers various aspects of residential landlord and tenant disputes and claims. It is an area of the law that we are keen to expand.
Residential landlords who are carrying out works pursuant to their service charge obligations need to be very mindful of the obligations to inform and consult with their tenants if the works will result in a service charge of more than £230 per tenant, otherwise they could well find themselves liable to recoup the service charge.
Christopher would be very happy to advise any landlords on their obligations.