Who this is for: General explanation for all residents; account requests and legal rights depend on your lease or agreement.
Start with the relevant bill, breakdown, or consultation notice. This guide explains the process; it contains no household bills or estate financial figures.
Check or query a charge
- Account holders can obtain their actual service-charge breakdown through MySouthwark. Southwark also provides a request form for people who cannot or do not want to use that account; it warns that replies may take more than 28 days.
- Check the financial year, estimate versus actual, charge description, and whether the cost concerns the block or estate. Compare like with like rather than treating another home’s bill as yours.
- Send a focused question through the actual revenue service-charge calculation enquiry form. Identify the item privately and ask for its basis, allocation, and supporting explanation. Keep your request and response.
Your lease matters. LEASE explains that an increase alone does not prove a charge unreasonable; charges must be permitted by the lease and reasonable. It recommends getting advice rather than simply refusing payment, which can breach the lease. Dealing with high service charges.
Respond to a major-works consultation
Read the notice’s title, scope, response address, and deadline. A notice of intention generally gives 30 days for written observations. Ask specific questions about the need for the work, alternatives, specification, and costs. Keep proof of submission. Contractor nomination is not always available with public-sector procurement; follow the notice rather than assuming you can nominate. LEASE: responding to a notice of intention.
A meeting or message in the group does not replace your formal response. Southwark’s contact page links separate forms for capital/revenue Section 20 observations and Section 20B comments; choose the route matching the notice. Ask for advice promptly if a notice arrived late or the deadline is disputed.
Where can I get independent help?
Citizens Advice Southwark’s homeowners project offers free, confidential advice to long leaseholders of council property and freeholders of ex-council property, including charges and major works. It lists 0808 278 7849 and an enquiry form. LEASE also provides government-funded leasehold advice.
Estate details still to confirm: any live consultation and approved notices/deadlines. This guide does not announce an open consultation or decide whether a particular charge is payable. Send account documents directly through the council’s official contact routes.