Stafford and Rural Homes

The Service Charge

If you have purchased your flat, you will be the leaseholder and be responsible for the maintenance of everything
within the four walls of your flat.

Stafford and Rural Homes remains the freehold owner of the building and therefore has certain responsibilities which will be set out in the lease. These responsibilities include the repair and improvement of the block in which you live. In return, Stafford and Rural Homes will ask you to pay a contribution to the costs incurred. This is what is referred to as a Service Charge.

How Is it Calculated?

The charge is based on actual service costs and indicative costs for future planned maintenance.

The process for calculating the service charge begins following receipt of a ‘Right to Buy’ application for a flat. We will provide the potential leaseholder with an idea of the likely maintenance and repair costs for the initial 5-year period after sale.

The charge is made up of some or all of the following elements:

Routine Maintenance (or day to day repairs)
Grounds Maintenance – for maintaining the grounds around the block.
Communal Electricity – for lighting in stairwells and corridors, security lighting etc.
Communal Heating – for any heating the block may have.
Door Entry System – covering the initial outlay and the cost of maintenance
Lift Maintenance – for maintenance costs for a lift
Janitor Service – for the cleaning and caretaking for the block
Communal Rooms – for their maintenance and cleaning
External Painting – for the external painting of woodwork etc.
External Repairs – for external repairs to the fabric of the building.
Communal Painting – of communal areas, corridors.
New Roof – one-off charge where planned on a particular block.
Parking Areas –charge for re-tarmacing where planned
Standard Management Fee On Above at 17.5 % of the total charge.
Ground Rent - set at £10 per year