27.05.06 - Estates Gazette: Commercial property trade publication looks at the issues surrounding service charges

Reproduced with kind permission from Estates Gazette

Property Solutions has long lobbied for constructive dialogue about the issues relating to the application of service charges.  This article from Northumbria University’s senior lecturer in built environment, Cheryl Williamson, does just this.

She looks at the definition of service charges and the crucial issues for tenants such as apportionment, certificates and budgets and reserve and sinking funds.

Ms Williamson makes reference to Property Solutions’ sponsored research by Loughborough University and also promotes the need for taking a commercial view on how service charges are applied, something that the Loughborough University study has consistently called for.  Reference is also made to the impending revision of the Service Charges in Commercial Property: A Guide to Good Practice.  This is something which is greatly needed by an industry worth in excess of £3.6billion and which, to date, has no enforceable regulation.

David Barrass, managing director, Property Solutions Ltd.

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