David Elsworth MTPI Assoc RICS

Few subjects create more debate in residential block management than the service charge budget. For many leaseholders, the first question is understandable: "Why has it gone up?"

Property management is one of those professions many people only really notice when something has gone wrong.

Few phrases in residential block management cause concern quite like “Section 20 works.” For many leaseholders, it is heard as the start of a large bill, a formal consultation, an unexpected demand for money.

It is a question that arises frequently across residential blocks, often following closely behind the equally familiar: “Why do I have to pay for this?”

It is a question familiar to every managing agent, director, and landlord. Whether raised in relation to routine expenditure, unexpected repairs, or major works, the underlying concern is typically the same: a disconnect between expectation and obligation.

The Right to Manage framework has provided leaseholders with a powerful mechanism to influence how their buildings are governed and maintained. It is typically driven by entirely reasonable objectives: improved transparency, greater oversight, and, quite often, the expectation that increased control will naturally result in reduced costs.