Buying A Home

Service Charges

What is a ‘service charge’?

All Unity residents must pay rent on their homes. However, some residents receive extra services (e.g. cleaning or gardening if there is a communal area) and they will pay a charge for these items, in addition to their rent.

Service charges are charges for services to communal facilities, all residents are required to pay their share of the cost of maintaining and managing their building and communal spaces.

We aim to make sure that residents receive services undertaken to a high standard and a service that provides excellent ‘Value for Money’. Service charges are cost based – This means you only pay for what you get.

Services covered

There are a number of services covered under a tenant’s service charge. The services usually covered could be any of the following:

• Cleaning communal hallways in flats
• Warden call alarms for the elderly and disabled
• Fire alarms and emergency lighting
• Door intercoms or shared lifts in flats
• Shared lighting for hallways or car parks
• Shared water rates

If we manage to save money on your services (i.e. we get a cheaper contractor), the amount you pay for services will be reduced the following year. However, if we have to spend more than we expect (i.e. our landscapers had to do extra visits), the amount you pay for services will go up.

You will be told about any changes made to your service charge (whether it’s an increase or decrease, or the addition of a service) at least 4 weeks in advance.