To think our neighbours are ridiculous for paying this and refuse to pay my "share"

[Hiphopapotamus4]

A house on our road came up for sale recently (its empty at the moment, was rented) and as you do, I had a nosey at the particulars on Right Move. In the description in says that there is a service charge of £500 per year. I thought this was odd as we pay no such charge and it's not a flat or leasehold or anything like that so I couldn't figure out what the charge was for.

I ran into another neighbour who made a comment about the price it was for sale for so I commented that I noticed it had a service charge and how odd that was. Neighbour gave me a funny look and said "yes, well we all pay the service charge" I said that we don't and have never been told anything about it or asked for payment. I asked her what it was for exactly and she didn't really know but kept saying "we all have to pay it".

Now, she has obviously been and spoken to some of the other neighbours about this and they are now annoyed that we don't pay when everyone else does. They want us to start paying it so that their share becomes less. However NOBODY knows what it is for, they all just pay it without questioning it. I said I wouldn't be paying anything unless they can tell me what it is for and what "service" I am receiving.

AIBU to think they have all been a bit foolish to pay so much money without questioning it and that they should stop paying it/find out what it's for rather than ask me to contribute!

To be clear, this is a fairly normal road with no communal areas and no "services" (other than the usual bin collections etc). Apparently the invoice just says "service charge" and does not specify exactly what service it is.

(I am currently the "bad neighbour" and need to make amends - may have to bribe the neighbourhood with homemade chocolate brownies then convince them to stage a mass refusal of payment and demand for refunds!)

Our property is freehold but we have a ground rent attached to it, it is in the deeds. It is for £6.50 a month, to be paid to the leaseholder. We have lived here 20 years and no one has collected it. I think after a certain amount of time it basically lapses, and although the leaseholder could in theory re-instate it, they could not back date it to collect all the years of non payment in between. For £6.50 it is not worth the hassle. Our NDN bought the leaseholder out about 30 years ago, so if it were re-instated we would have to pay but they wouldn't. Maybe it is a really expensive ground rent they are paying, but your house at some time bought it out so does not have to pay? It is unusual for the council to be the leaseholders though.

perhaps this was Andrew the neighbour just didn't provide it. It's all very odd.

Do we have to have an Andrew now as well?

This will probably turn out to be something really boring but I hope it lands no one with any demands for payment

@sunshinemeg
not true.

www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/urban-myth-bristol-zoo-parking-1059

I'm intrigued!

Maybe you are exempt from the service charge because your property is on the tail end of the San Andreas Fault for some archaic reason.

🐴 🇮🇹

Wow I need to know the outcome to this!!

I hope you get some answers op.

Herbella I LOVE stories like that one thank you

. < placemark

oh this is odd ! If the payment goes to the council then someone there should be able to sort it out, and hopefully refund the neighbours.

I'm loving this thread. We had a Roger next door in our old house. He tanned himself a deep mahogany shade and would sweep the residents' car park aggressively in his vest, making sure every last leaf was obliterated. He also festooned his property in tat: those little whirly things that go round in the wind, 'whimsical' metal flowers that you seem to find in garden centres. And he spent all day either outside or in his glass conservatory, keeping a strict eye on every happening.

We now live in the countryside and there is no Roger nearby. However, we do have a farmer who repeatedly lights massive bonfires made up of vast piles of damp silage. Gives me the rage when I have to get my laundry in to stop it being smoked. Darked on washing I can deal with. Smoked washing is another kettle of fish.

can I stop placemarking yet?

I really hope roger and his gang get all this money back from the council! It'll be in the thousands!

Slightly off topic but there was a fascinating episode on MineyBox lasteeek about the massive rise in newhouses being sold as leasehold not freehold LINK HERE.

It highlighted the potential problem of the ground rents getting doubled every 10 years which ends up with them being ridiculous and the homeowners having to try to negotitiate to buy the freehold. It's legal although hopefully for not too much longer but feels like a massive scam Telegraph article HERE

Sorry for public information announcement ....back to the thread.

Roger wears a vest?!

No, no, no. Roger's uniform (when he is a man) is shirt sleeves. Slacks optional.

He also festooned his property in tat: those little whirly things that go round in the wind, 'whimsical' metal flowers that you seem to find in garden centres

👀 😬

This is so weird. I want to know what the charge is for.

My partners step grandfather is a 'roger' he once came round to our house to discuss our financial situation, bent down to poke his finger through a hole in our floorboard and then looked my partner up and down like he was the most worthless piece of shit going.

Can't believe I got all the way to the end and. O conclusion! Hoping OP saves all the neighbours loads of spondoolies and receives all manner of homebaked grandma cakes. They're the best cakes.

our 'Roger' is away this week and has popped over to make sure I keep an eye on things in the road.
He's also designated bin duty to me for the Old People most of whom are younger than him

Uh oh I think I'm A Roger 😬

My bets is this 'fee' has been funding some local council worker's annual Maui holiday. 👀

Hang on....Roger, Brian we had both. Brian stole Rogers girlfriend and they all moved away..

I will have to RTFT again

No, Roger wears olive green slacks, a plaid shirt with a waistcoat and a tie. Even in hot weather.
He washes his car regularly and reads the Daily Mail (obviously).

@Sionella

I wanna Rogerette!