Tenant Found Liable for Service Charges Under Landlord and Tenant Act 1987
📌 In brief
The First-tier Tribunal decided that the tenant must pay service charges and administration fees as specified in their lease agreement. This decision was based on the relevant acts and regulations.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant is liable to pay service charges under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987.
📖 Technical summary
The tribunal ruled on the tenant's liability for service charges under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987.
📜 Headnote Official document
The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) determined that the tenant was liable to pay service charges of £2,956.37 and administration charges of £804 under the lease dated 6 June 2018, pursuant to the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 and the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002.
📚 Full judgment Official document
© CROWN COPYRIGHT 2025
FIRST-TIER TRIBUNAL PROPERTY CHAMBER (RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY)
Case Reference
:
HAV/00ML/2025/LDC/0617
Property
:
[ADDRESS] [POSTCODE]
Applicant: [redacted]
[COMPANY] (landlord) Representative : [COUNSEL] ([RESPONDENT] solicitors)
Respondents
:
[redacted]
Representatives
:
[NAME]
Tribunal Member(s)
:
Judge M [NAME] [NAME] of hearing/venue
:
25 June 2025 (Brighton Tribunal Centre)
Date of decision
:
25 June 2025
DECISION NOTICE - RULE 36(2)(a)
2 Introduction
1. This is an application to determine liability to pay service charges under s.27A Landlord and Tenant Act 1987. The issues formed part of a claim for payment in the County Court (claim no. K13YX664) and they were transferred to the tribunal for determination by an order of 14 November 2024 under s.176A Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002.
2. The application was dealt with under flexible judicial deployment, with the Tribunal Judge sitting as a judge of the County Court to decide the aspects of the claim which were within the court’s exclusive jurisdiction.
3. A hearing took place on 25 June 2025. The applicant was represented by Ms [APPELLANT] of [APPELLANT]. The respondent was reresnted by her son, Mr [RESPONDENT] [NAME]. At the conclusion of the tribunal hearing, the tribunal gave its decision orally in accordance with Rule 36(1) of the Tribunal Procedure (First-tier Tribunal) (Property Chamber) Rules 2013. [ADDRESS] then made orders consequential upon that determination.
4. This is the decision notice under Rule 36(2)(a) of the procedure rules stating the tribunal’s decision. For the avoidance of doubt, the tribunal will provide written reasons for its decision as soon as reasonably practicable, and the time for any party to apply for permission to appeal under Rule 52(2) does not run until those reasons are provided.
Decision
5. The Tribunal determines under s.27A of the 1985 Act that the respondent is liable to pay to the applicant service charges of £2,956.37 due under the lease dated 6 June 2018.
6. The Tribunal determines under para 5 of Sch.11 to the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 that the respondent is liable to pay the applicant administration charges of £804 due under the lease dated 6 June 2018.
7. No order is made under s.20C Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 or under para 5A of Sch.11 to the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002.
Tribunal Judge Mark Loveday 25 June 2025
📊 How courts decide similar cases
Among 8 similar decisions in this collection:
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Service Charges for 2021/2022 to 2024/2025 Found Payable
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Rules on Service Charge Liability for Tenant
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Determines Reasonable Service Charges
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Determines Service Charge Reasonableness
A snapshot of this collection — not a prediction of your case's outcome.
⚖️ What tends to weigh in cases like this
✅ Tends to be accepted
- Service charges are properly calculated and reasonable as defined by the lease agreement.
❌ Tends to be rejected
- Service charges are not properly calculated or reasonable as defined by the lease agreement.
Patterns observed in similar cases in this collection — every case is unique.
❓ Frequently asked questions
What did this decision decide?
The tenant was found liable for paying service charges and administration fees.
Who was involved?
The landlord and the tenant were involved.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided based on the relevant acts and regulations, finding the tenant liable for the charges.
Which laws or rules were applied?
The Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 and the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 were applied.
What was the argument that mattered most?
The argument that mattered most was the applicability of the relevant acts and regulations to the lease agreement.
Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?
The decision was against the tenant.
What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?
Someone in a similar situation should ensure they understand their obligations under their lease agreement.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The lease agreement and relevant acts and regulations were the primary evidence considered.
Can a decision like this be appealed?
Yes, a decision like this can be appealed if there are grounds for doing so.
Is it worth getting a solicitor for a case like this?
It is always recommended to seek advice from a qualified solicitor for such cases.