Residents on The Rise estate have notified their landlord MTVH that they are embarking on a service charge strike over disputed charges and their failure to engage.
The Rise estate comprises three blocks near Wembley, west London. Residents had requested a statement of their charges and the invoice pack, and were legally entitled to receive them within one month. The invoices are needed so that residents can check the legitimacy of the charges they are expected to pay.
The information they have received so far contains gaps, and shows a haphazard, unexplained pattern of charges for different properties. Their gardening costs have increased without any work being done, and a charge for window cleaning has been applied even though no service has been delivered.
Security and Repairs Concerns
Residents want more done to protect their safety. Packages and parcels have been stolen from the reception area, and there have been intruders in the buildings who have damaged the carpet and walls, and attempted to enter residents’ properties. When the car park gate was broken, it allowed anyone to access the site, and some of the residents were threatened by intruders.
SHAC is campaigning to end service charge abuse, and is supporting tenants and residents to withhold payment of disputed charges
Many residents were without heating and hot water in the summer for a total of three weeks. Despite the managing agents telling residents that the issue had been rectified, residents again lost hot water and heating in the middle of winter. This was problematic for all, but residents were particularly concerned about two residents in the late stages of pregnancy.
Lift maintenance charges have been included in the bills, even though lifts in two of the blocks were broken during December 2022 and January 2023. There were also breakdowns in May, June, and August 2023.
Resident Zoe Marsh* says:
“One resident had just given birth and could not leave her flat on the 6th floor to take the stairs. It has caused massive undue stress”.
Zoe and others from across the estate say that they now have no choice but to withhold payment of their service charges in an attempt to get MTVH to explain the service charges, provide invoice evidence, make sure that services are provided, and improve security and maintenance on the estate.
SHAC Campaigns
The residents are being supported in their campaign by SHAC. The MTVH branch holds meetings to share experiences and coordinate action. The Rise residents’ strike follows others at MTVH, including Royal Mint Court, North Court, and East Ferry Road. All have experienced similar failings and inaccuracies in their service charges.
In May 2023, leaseholders of East Ferry Road won a partial victory in relation to several issues on their estate after withholding service charge payments.
Register with SHAC to receive invitations to the MTVH branch meetings, and to join the action on service charge abuse.
* Not her real name
13 February 2024
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