In this section...

  1. Buildings insurance
  2. Defects
  3. Maintaining your home
  4. Our homeownership standards
  5. Selling your home
  6. Service charges
  7. Staircasing
  8. Homeownership FAQs

Service charges

Leaseholders pay an annual service charge which must be paid in full each April. There are a choice of ways to make a payment.

Shared owners pay a monthly fee which includes service charges for the year.

It’s essential that your pay all of your charges when they are due.

You could lose your home if you miss your payments and do not talk to us about how you plan to pay your rent or service charges.

Missed payments will be chased by our Income Management team, they may even visit your home. If we can’t get hold of you, we will pursue your debt in line with your lease (which may lead to added interest). If necessary we will get solicitors involved and contact your mortgage lender.

Don’t risk losing your home, talk to us if you’re worried about your payments. The key is to communicate with us as early as possible. Speak to us on Live Chat or call: 01733 396483.

Budgeting for your service charge will help you manage your payments. 

The service charge process

We write to our leaseholders each spring with details of your invoice for the year - this is when we expect your payment. This invoice is an estimated cost for works completed during the year but is a good forecast of what your final cost for the year will be.

In September, we’ll send you a final reconciled account balance listing any outstanding charges or balances for the period covered in your spring invoice. If you are in credit at that point, you can either request a refund or carry the credit over towards your service charges for the following year.

What's included in my service charge?

Details of your service charges are included in your lease. Homeowner’s service charges are used to keep your surroundings in good condition. The services you pay for depends on where you live, but they may include:

  • Cleaning, maintenance and general up keep of communal areas i.e. lifts, lights and heating

  • Caretaking and security

  • Grounds maintenance

  • Audit fees

  • Bin hires

  • Communal building insurance

  • A reserve fund towards the cost of cyclical repairs or major works.

We do our very best to make sure these charges are reasonable and offer you good value for money.  If you’re not happy or don’t think this is the case, then email us at homeowners@crosskeyshomes.co.uk.

The leasehold advisory service  also offers free, independent assistance.