In The Press

Manjinder Kaur Atwal, Director of Housing at Duncan Lewis Solicitors, has been featured in an article discussing high service charges for property buyers and leaseholders.

Manjinder highlights that an annual service charge exceeding £3,000 for a two-bedroom flat is notably higher than the average of £2,300 in England and Wales.  Service charges typically cover communal area maintenance such as communal gardens, hallways and reception areas. She emphasises the importance of understanding what service charge fees cover, especially when the property has minimal shared amenities.

If the fee exceeds the average and the property does not have additional amenities, property owners could be overpaying for what they receive.

Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, charges must be “reasonable”. Leaseholders have the legal right to challenge excessive service charges.

Our housing team is expert in challenging unreasonable service charges.

For further details on Manjinder’s recommendations, you can access the full article here.

About Manjinder

Manjinder Kaur Atwal, Director of Housing, is recognised by the Chambers UK legal directory as a UK-wide notable practitioner, offering strength across a wide range of social housing matters, including interim relief and homelessness applications. She heads a Housing Team ranked Tier 1 across the South East by The Legal 500 for its "excellent knowledge of the law" and "extensive experience". The department is recognised as a market-leader in all areas of social housing and property litigation including disrepair, unlawful evictions, homelessness, possession disputes, and complex judicial review matters. 

For advice in relation to any housing matter contact Manjinder Kaur Atwal on 07342 081785 or email at Manjindera@duncanlewis.com

About Duncan Lewis Solicitors

Duncan Lewis Solicitors is a multi-award-winning national law firm renowned for exceptional legal services and commitment to justice. With expertise in 25 areas of law, the firm is ranked in Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 as a top-tier law firm and has been named a Times Top 250 Law Firm. Headquartered in London, the firm is recognised for its excellence in people management, holding the Investors in People Gold Standard Accreditation, and embraces a paperless, hybrid-working model. The firm was crowned law firm of the year at the LexisNexis awards 2024 and again at the Modern Law awards the year before.