We charge leaseholders and some freeholders for:
- services we provide to you
- ground rent (if applicable)
You receive a bill for ground rent in April each year along with your estimated service charges. This is set at the figure indicated in your lease.
The services you are charged for depend on:
- where you live
- the type of property
- the conditions of your lease
If you live on an estate, for example, you will receive more services than if you live in a property on a street.
All service charges cover:
- buildings insurance
- management fees
- estate repairs and block repairs
If you live in a block
We may also charge you for:
- electricity costs for communal lighting, heating and lifts
- lift repairs and maintenance
- communal television aerial maintenance
- caretaking and concierge services
- maintenance of items such as water tanks, door entry systems, fire alarms, intruder alarms and dry risers
If you live on an estate
We may also charge you for:
- maintenance of services such as CCTV and car park barriers
- grounds maintenance
How we calculate
We take the cost of the service to the whole block or estate and divide it be the number of properties.
You can find more information about how we calculate your service charge in the billing information we send by post.
How and when we bill
In April, we send you an estimate of how much we think we will spend on your property in the coming financial year (1 April to 31 March). Your bill tells you the date by which you must pay it.
In September we send you details of how much we have actually spent on your property in the previous financial year and a breakdown of that spending.
If we have spent less than we estimated, we will credit your account and this credit will be offset against your future monthly estimate charges. If we have spent more than we estimated, we will send you an additional bill. It will tell you the date by which you must pay it.
Enquiries:
- email: leaseholdincome@hounslow.gov.uk
- phone: 0203 949 7732
