Understanding your service charges

Service charges help pay for services in shared areas and around your neighbourhood.

You only pay for services that apply to your home.

These services will be listed in your tenancy or lease agreement.

Y

Not everyone pays a service charge.

You’ll only pay one if we provide shared services to your home, building or neighbourhood.

If you’re not sure whether a service charge applies to your home, please get in touch. We’ll be happy to help.

If you pay a service charge, it helps cover the cost of services such as:

•  Cleaning shared areas
• Looking after green spaces
• Communal lighting
•  Door entry systems
• Lift maintenance
• Fire safety checks and equipment
• Communal water supplies
• Estate services
• Window cleaning

The services you receive will depend on where you live. That’s why service charges can vary from one home to another.

Each year, we estimate how much it will cost to provide services.

We then share those costs between the homes that receive them.

The way costs are shared depends on the service and where you live.

A breakdown of your charge is included with your annual rent statement. If you’d like further information about the breakdown of your charge, just ask. We’re happy to explain it.

Service charges can go up or down each year.
This is usually because the cost of providing services has changed.

For example:

• Energy prices have increased
• Contractor costs have gone up
• More maintenance is needed
• Services have changed
• New safety requirements apply

We’ll explain any changes when we contact you about your new charges.

We look at service charges every year.

This helps us make sure charges reflect the cost of the services we provide.

Here’s what happens during the year:

October to January

We review service costs and work out what we expect services to cost in the year ahead.

February to March

We tell customers about any changes to their rent and service charges.

April to March

Services are provided throughout the year.

After the year ends

We check what the services actually cost.

We compare this with what we expected them to cost and review any differences.

We want you to understand what you’re paying for.

Details about service charges are included in your annual rent statement

You can ask for information about:

• The services included in your charge
• How your charge has been worked out
• How services are performing
• Major repairs and improvement works
• Annual service charge reviews

If you can’t find what you’re looking for online, please get in touch.

We regularly review the services we provide.

We check they are delivered to a good standard.

We also make sure costs are reasonable.

To do this, we:

• Monitor contractor performance
• Review service standards
• Listen to customer feedback
• Look for ways to improve services and reduce costs

Sometimes larger repair or improvement works are needed.

This could be to a building, shared area or communal facility.

If the work affects your service charge, we’ll explain:

• What work is taking place
• Why it’s needed
•  When it will happen
• How it may affect you
• Whether we need to consult with you

Can I see a breakdown of my charges?
Yes. We can explain what’s included and how your charge has been worked out.

What if I don’t use a service?
Service charges are based on the services provided to your home. They are not based on how often an individual service is used.

What if I think my charge is wrong?
Please contact us. We’ll look into it and explain anything that doesn’t seem right.

How often are service charges reviewed?
Usually once a year.

Can I ask for more information?
Yes. We’ll do our best to answer your questions and explain your charges clearly.

Get in Touch
If you have a question about your service charge, we’re here to help.

Please contact us. They can answer your question or put you in touch with the right team.

We’ll be open about the services we provide and the charges you pay.

We’ll explain things clearly.

If something isn’t clear, please ask.

We’re here to help you understand your service charges and the services you receive.

We can offer support with benefits, budgeting and access to specialist debt advice

More information is available at: homesplus.co.uk/help-and-advice

You can also contact independent organisations such as:

• Citizens Advice
• StepChange Debt Charity