Is this doable? retiring to a leasehold property

[Muddle2000]

Our income seems to be enough to cover outgoing eg utilities food taxes
and main service charge phone health prob and a few fun things The place will gradually need refurbishing as things wear out and I do not doubt there will be other maintenance charges We have 50k set aside for these No car or hols

Two words. Service charges. What are they? and how effective is the management of the property?

It is managed by a large local pm company that has a lot of blocks of flats No share of freehold etc
Accounts provided etc and yes things are improved on by them
Certainly some protection afforded by them
150 per month (Inc insurance) but do stuff which is not always needed eg outside decorating done when not needed and charge residents for that 3k

If the management company is not doing consultations before embarking on work then I wouldn't. Leasehold is bad enough with a good manager (assuming that animal exists), but one that goes ahead and then charges I wouldn't touch it because they sound less than honest, frankly. You could find yourself on the hook for thousands if not more.

https://england.shelter.org.uk/professional_resources/legal/home_ownership/leasehold_and_commonhold/consultations_with_leaseholders_for_major_works#title-0

Loads of advice on Lease-advice.org