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!)

I would ring the agent and say that you won't consider viewing if you don't know what the charge is, then they can do the legwork to find out. It is a lot of money.

This is what I would do. I doubt the EA has checked the details. For example, they don't measure gardens - they just take the vendors word for it. That's why we have the expression Caveat Emptor (Let the buyer beware).

I think you're seriously overestimating how much the estate agent is likely to care

I agree. Sometimes, they don't even sell the correct house

www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/latest/Ive-been-living-in-the-wrong-house-Chris-cc65154c-8238-4d5f-9c84-75f4990bb118-ds

Roger does NOT wear a waitcoat.

He may wear a cardigan, a sports jacket or a jaunty sweater depending on various factors not least if it's a golf day.

Yy to Daily Mail or The Telegraph if he's a bit posh.

Probably married to Jean.

I hope op becomes the hero here and saves everyone some money! Intriguing!

It would be a shame if she ended up with a new £500 annual bill.

🚗

Placemarking

Roger would own a Rover or a Volvo in beige - big boot for the golf clubs.
He would have an irritating snigger and make 1970s jokes about women and call his wife the 'the wife, never by her name.
Goes to the same place for his holiday every single year.

I used to live in an ex-council maisonette and we did indeed get a bill that looked like a duplicate council tax bill, for £500/year which simply said "service charge". No clue what it covered.

It took quite a lot of refusing to pay until the cost was broken down, for the council to start producing bills that made sense, so people with communal stairs paid X, people in blocks with lifts paid Y, those on the communal heating paid Z, every part-owner in council blocks paid towards landscaping and lighting, etc.

But we were expecting that all along, so less interesting than OP's one.

Ooh yes, our Roger is called Peter but he's definitely it.

I've just read the whole thread and I think I missed the diagram. Where the hell is the diagram?

Re: unadopted roads

Our Council website has a gazetteer of all unadopted roads in the borough. Don't know whether they all do, but OP could check.

I still think it is to do with an unadopted road situation - particularly if there are no street lights.

Come on we need to know what Roger has found out, work is second priority here op!

I have spent the last 10 mins scrolling through this thread, intrigued and wondering what this mystery service charge fee is for... only to get to the last page with no answer, so now I am placemarking, it has been very entertaining though, the image of 'Roger' banging on the neighbours doors interrogating them on if they pay it or not

@SistersOfPercy Wed 17-May-17 10:09:55

@sunshinemeg
not true.

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

When I posted this story on page 18 I actually said it was an urban myth!

@GretchenFranklin
Me too: you're welcome!

This is so mysterious!

I bought my flat from the local Roger Rogerette. Everyone keeps telling me what she was like, and that the neighbourhood has gone to pot since she's been gone lol. Perhaps they want me to become the new Roger .

Id say it was a scam..

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

Don't forget a rather snazzy zip up cardigan.

blatantly placemarking....

yeah i think I'll placemark too!

Id say it was a scam..

So would I, and a very lucrative one at that. Just think from one road they make around £5000, times by god knows how many roads.

But who's the scammer? The council?

Our Roger is chair of neighbourhood watch and wears grey slacks and a white short sleeved shirt. All the time. I actually don't think he has any other clothes.

Placemarking too!
It's very strange, if not a leaseholder, or current/previous council houses then the service charge for maintenance/lighting/external painting etc won't apply to you.
Definitely think ringing the estate agent as an 'interested buyer' and questioning the service charge may be good.
Have you looked online at your local councils website? Mine gives details and also has a page on 'service charges explained' but none I can see would be applicable in this situation.

Roger wears a vest?!

Roger does NOT wear a waitcoat. He may wear a cardigan, a sports jacket or a jaunty sweater depending on various factors not least if it's a golf day.

No No No. Roger wears a red hat - or a blue hat