How much is everyone's flat maintenance fee?

[orangeN]

Hi,

I'm living in a block of flat with 14 flats, we are share of freehold and just became self-managed last year.

Our next year maintenance fee will increase to £3000 per flat, before it was below £2500, and on top of that they proposed every flat pays £1000 as reserve fund per year. So annually expects every flat pays at lease £4000.

I would like get a good idea about average maintenance fee in blocks of flats to check if it is reasonable.

Cheers

27 flats, mine is about £3500 a year including paying into reserves.

£4,800 plus £150 ground rent - huge block though over 150 flats!

do you live in London or near London, mine is in Dorset I found that's too much for somewhere outside London

I guess in London or near London for that much of money right?

If you are self managed you need to have a good look at the bills.
a decent managing agent will negotiate on buildings insurance, keep electricity, gardening, cleaning and gardening costs under control, largely by switching providers. It’s hard work which sometimes makes it worth employing a managing agent. Be careful though, some are terrible and also make additional money by taking a cut from the providers.
Does the property have a lift, they can absorb a lot of money.

Sorry to answer your question, studio flat with lift, 50studios £1200.Great managing agent, really on the ball.
huge development, awful managing agent, about 2k. We are currently querying why they are charging leaseholders for collecting the ground rent on behalf of the freeholder. 2 bed flat, no lift.
medium development, 180 flats, about £1000. No lift. The grounds on this one are a nightmare and really need to change contractor.
All in North Essex commuter town.
Also, check the lease. There is sometimes a restriction on the amount that can be held
In the Reserve Fund

Depends if it high end development? Does it have a flat roof that needs replacing? Cladding?

do you run it yourselves or use a managing agent?

No just normal residence development with a lift and a garden no other fancy stuff. We have a flat roof and the replacing will take place in near future, the cost would be separate from all this.

Plus we use to pay for reserve fee every year, still when the corridor windows need to be replaced, fire doors need to be changed we all paid out of our own pocket. So I am a bit skeptical about the reserve fund, especially this big sum. it would evaporate anyway when it has a work need to be done.

Thank you! I don't know it could be a cap on how much reserve pond can hold, maybe a silly question but where can I check the lease

Currently self manage by directors, but end up charging us more

I think lifts are very expensive to maintain. We are 7 flats no lift and currently pay £110pm. All owners are directors of the management company that owns the freehold so we vote on any change to service charge.

110per month with a lift, that's really good! We have elected director representatives they are managing the building and the bill is a mess, ended up asking for more money

No, without a lift.

It sounds like you seen to see copies of all invoices for expenditure. Sounds like it’s badly run?

Hi @orangeN
you should have had a copy of the lease when you purchased the flat.
Did you elect the management committee? Are they paid? One of the local developments had an issue with one of the Directors being paid a fairly substantial fee which hadn’t been approved by the leaseholders.About £500 per month about 15 years ago iirc.

Block of 8 flats, 3 floors, Essex.

We pay £2100 per annum, including some into a sinking fund, no lift.

Mine is a block of four (Victorian). Around £1500 pa badly managed (communal hall ceiling has collapsed). in SE essex.

previous was N Londin, block of 14 flats pretty much the same charges.

but also watch your insurance payments.