Service charges
The Dulwich Estate maintains the communal parts and amenity areas on behalf of leaseholders. We work with approved contractors to provide a high quality service and pleasant living environment.
Leaseholders cover the cost of this maintenance through a quarterly service charge, payable either in advance or in arrears as stated on your lease.
Quarterly charges in advance
The Dulwich Estate issues an estimated annual budget to each household at the beginning of the service charge year (1 April or 1 January).
You receive a quarterly bill based on this budget. It will be the same amount each quarter.
At the end of the year, once the property accounts have been certified, you will either be asked for, or receive, a balancing payment to reflect the actual costs of maintenance that year.
Quarterly charges in arrears
If your service charge is payable in arrears, you will receive a quarterly bill from The Dulwich Estate based on the maintenance costs incurred in the previous quarter. This amount will vary per quarter.
Charges for major works
As well as ongoing maintenance, we also organise major work on a cyclical basis. External work is typically undertaken every five years and internal decoration/renewal every seven years.
Major work may include:
- internal and external repairs and redecorating the building
- renewal of floor coverings
- stairwell painting
- roof repairs
- repairing and painting windows
- road and footpath resurfacing
- brick wall and boundary fence repairs/replacement.
If any such works are likely to cost more than £250 per household, you will be consulted on the works before a contractor is appointed.