Rising service charges
A rising total is the start of the review.
Insurance, utilities, contracts, staffing, compliance, major works, reserves and prior-year adjustments can move differently. Split the increase into causes before deciding which question to ask.
Build the bridge
Move from last year's total to this year's total line by line.
Contracts and routine services
Compare cleaning, grounds, lifts, utilities, staffing, management and other recurring lines on the same scope, period and VAT basis.
Premium, cover and placement
Separate the building premium, terrorism cover, fees and claims history where available. Check the lease, policy schedule and disclosure route rather than treating insurance as one unexplained figure.
Repairs and major projects
Identify one-off surveys, urgent work, planned maintenance and major works. Link consultation, specification, contract, invoices and completion evidence.
Contributions and withdrawals
A larger reserve contribution is not the same as expenditure. Check what the lease permits, the long-term plan, existing balance and intended use.
Prior-year and accounting movements
Remove brought-forward deficits, credits, accruals and corrections before describing the movement as a current-year cost increase.
Your apportionment
Check whether the total building budget changed, the leaseholder's percentage changed, or both. Use the executed lease and any valid variation.
Ask the useful question
Match the evidence request to the cause.
What service or work changed?
Ask for the specification, dates, contract change, headcount, area or standard that explains the movement.
What explains the unit cost?
Request tenders, renewal terms, invoices or a procurement explanation where proportionate. Price alone does not reveal scope or performance.
Why was the cost incurred now?
Use surveys, risk assessments, repair history, statutory duties and board decisions to understand timing and necessity.
Who approved and monitored it?
Identify the decision-maker, delegated authority, consultation record, contract owner and evidence that the service or work was delivered.
Choose the next route
Different causes need different follow-up.
Request the accounts or supporting papers
Use the lease and the current statutory information routes to ask for the relevant summary, inspection or explanation.
Check the major-works or long-term-agreement route
Where the arrangement may be qualifying, test the contribution, classification, notices and any dispensation separately.
Frame the live statutory issue
If the concern remains, identify the lease-authority, reasonableness, standard or procedure point and take advice on the appropriate dispute route.
Sources for this page
Open the law and guidance yourself.
The current statutory reasonableness and standard tests for variable residential service charges.
↗Information rightsLandlord and Tenant Act 1985, sections 21 and 22The current written-request and inspection routes for service-charge information.
↗Independent guidanceLEASE service-charge guidanceCurrent guidance on costs, accounts, information and challenge routes.
↗Links and current-law position checked 18 August 2026. Apply the governing documents, building facts and current law to the case in front of you.
Take the next step in LEASE-iQ
Can this cost be recovered through my lease?
Use this for a charge, budget increase, reserve-fund contribution or disputed service.
Keep checking: The lease can show the charging route. It cannot prove the amount, standard of work or demand paperwork on its own.
