If you pay service charges, we'll write to you through the year with information about the services provided where you live and how much they cost. This may include your annual service charge estimate and your end-of-year service charge statement.
The services you pay depend on the type of home you live in and what’s provided where you live. Not all services apply to every home and not everyone pays for the same services.
If you live in a flat or apartment, service charges may include:
If you live in a house, service charges may include:
This page explains all of our service charges in more detail, so you can see exactly what services you're paying for.
Most of our homes pay a variable service charge.
This means:
At the start of each year, we estimate how much services will cost between 1 April and 31 March. You’ll usually receive this information with your annual rent letter each February or March. We use what services have cost in the past, along with any expected changes, to estimate costs for the coming year.
Your service charge is added to your rent account and paid alongside your rent.
At the end of the year, we check what the services actually cost by reviewing all our invoices from contractors and suppliers and send you what’s called an End-of-year Service Charge Statement. This is usually sent at the end of September.
If you've paid more than the actual cost, we'll reduce your service charge for the next year or add a credit to your rent account. If the services cost more than we originally estimated, the difference may be added to your service charge for the following year or added to your rent account, in line with your tenancy agreement. This helps make sure you only pay your share of the actual cost of the services you receive.
Estimated cost for communal lighting: £1,000 for the year shared by ten flats = £100 each (about £1.92 per week).
Actual cost of electric: £1,100 for the year shared by ten flats = £110 each. Increase was due to rising electrical costs.
Difference: Underpayment of £10 (about 19p per week). If you rent your home, this is added to the following year’s service charge, increasing the charge to about £2.11 per week (in line with your tenancy agreement)
More information about service charges, including detailed descriptions and common questions
If you're struggling with money or worried about paying your rent or service charges, our friendly Advice team is on hand to support you with free and confidential advice on bills, debt, borrowing and more.
Visit our online Cost-of-Living Support Hub to see what support’s available to you. You can also contact us and we'll be happy to help.
