“EeH admits St Georges Estate service charges errors at the LVT – remains to be seen whether the corrections will be applied retrospectively to ALL leaseholders”

Following an application to the Leaseholders Valuation Tribunal (LVT) for determination in relation to a number of EeH’ unfair service charges at St Georges Estate, EeH conceded the following:

• Communal heating charges that had been charged on property with private heating
• Charges for smoke detectors
• Charges made for tenanted properties
• Caretaking charges that had not been apportioned correctly between St Georges and Glamis estates
• LBTH drainage charges should be estate charges and not block charges

EeH failed to provide documented evidence of employment for agency staff whose costs amounted to almost half of the annual 07/08 caretaking charges. Surprisingly, the LVT was keen to accept EeH’ “rough and ready” approach for “low cost charges”. It appears that £200 a year for agency staff is a “low cost charge” for the LVT.

Apart from the obvious errors in the service charges that were conceded by EeH, the LVT failed to appreciate that the cost of services in relation with the scandalous state of neglect that the estate is in, is unreasonable and extortionate.

Doors permanently broken and landings covered with bird mess seems to be EeH’ version of Decent Homes for the communal areas!

This is the condition of the access stairway that the LVT found “reasonable”.

The battle will now continue at the Lands Tribunal.