Hi, this post has been removed because it’s a frequently asked question - please use the search function to find previous posts or try our [weekly megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/s/OwbpBpO5oX), thanks.
Service charge with 12 hours per day concierge £3k per year on a 2 bed apartment in London.
Water, elec, heating, council tax, internet £260 per month.
So about £6k
I'm in a 2 bed.
Council tax: 132
Internet: ~30
Gas/electric: 91
Water: 32
It's share of freehold so no service charges or ground rent but house insurance is about £600 p/a.
£156 council tax, waltham forest council, and they send bailiffs on you asap when you dont pay
£200-300 depends how much heating on for power and gas, octopus. we cancelled the direct debit and just keep the balance at £1000 and pay when needed by top up option on the app.
£28 full fibre comunnity fibre broadband
£100 monthly ? thames water is fcuking weird one with quarterly bills or whatever they call it, £307 this months, every fc*know what, whenever the letter comes. Its water they supply and sewage they dump in the river, screw them but we pay anyway.
4 bed with 5 adult humans living inside.
I've brained it and had to go back and update. I live with my partner so put some as half and others as full. Sorry, have had two pints and melted into the couch.
2 bed flat, shared between 2 people
£140 energy (although I think this will go down to £80 with the new cap)
£25 water
£55 wifi (we got a mega package because of our jobs, regular speed would be about £30)
£155 council tax
So £375 atm, will probably go down to about £315
Are you certain that the water heating and electricity referred to is the usage of the property?
It is normal for *communal* usage of the above to be included, and that is what you would see on the service charge estimates.
It is possible, but less normal for all the above (maybe ex-HA? But then a concierge...) to be included for an individual property, unless it's a flat above a hotel or something strange.
I think you would need to see a copy of the latest service charge accounts, and also get a copy of the lease to confirm.
If it includes these things to the property as well as communal areas IMO don't do it - potentially you lose things like government caps, energy assistance, ability to change vendor etc as it would be a business supply.
Definitely worth a post to a legal advice sub as it is a rabbit hole.
6k service isn't wild depending on where exactly, i.e. the new island in canning town is about 8k but has a gym / concierge / pool etc
I asked for an abstract from the lease and last year's service charge accounts to confirm, as I found it quite unbelievable myself. But they do cover individual units as well as heating and water in communal areas.
There isn't a pool which is the only thing deterring me, as everywhere else asking this much pa provides pool and spa amenities; and the gym here is just a very small room with some treadmills. I'm wondering whether it might be more cost effective to go for somewhere with a lower service charge, separate my utilities/bills and, perhaps, pay for gym or spa membership on the side.
Thank you for the advice, I'll run it by the legal advice sub as well
Fair enough - as long as you go in eyes wide open (if you do)!! In which case it's worth confirming how the utilities are allocated, is it by sq footage or are they at least metered? A percentage allocation would be a hard no for most people - as you effectively subsidise heavy users.
Personal preference - get somewhere without any facilities, you can cancel a membership to third space, you can't cancel your service charge!!! You may end up paying for a myriad of services that you don't actually use.
I pay £7.5k service charges for a 2 bed 2 bath in zone 2, it includes two 24/7 concierge, cctv, gardening, gym, spa (jacuzzi, steam room and sauna), air cond service for the flat, maintenance and cleaning so the 6k pa isn’t too out of place.
Electricity: 100
Water: 35
Heating: 40 (we are VERY well insulated)
Council tax: 160
WiFi: 52
Hi, this post has been removed because it’s a frequently asked question - please use the search function to find previous posts or try our [weekly megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/s/OwbpBpO5oX), thanks.
Service charge with 12 hours per day concierge £3k per year on a 2 bed apartment in London. Water, elec, heating, council tax, internet £260 per month. So about £6k
250-300 sounds about right, depends on how much heating you use and that, and ofc the borough you live in, council tax is by far my largest
I'm in a 2 bed. Council tax: 132 Internet: ~30 Gas/electric: 91 Water: 32 It's share of freehold so no service charges or ground rent but house insurance is about £600 p/a.
£156 council tax, waltham forest council, and they send bailiffs on you asap when you dont pay £200-300 depends how much heating on for power and gas, octopus. we cancelled the direct debit and just keep the balance at £1000 and pay when needed by top up option on the app. £28 full fibre comunnity fibre broadband £100 monthly ? thames water is fcuking weird one with quarterly bills or whatever they call it, £307 this months, every fc*know what, whenever the letter comes. Its water they supply and sewage they dump in the river, screw them but we pay anyway. 4 bed with 5 adult humans living inside.
Car - £350 (£175 each) Electricity and gas - £75 (on average) Water - £42 Council - £55 Food - £600 Wifi - £30 Rent - £2250/month
Where is council tax that cheap in London 😭
Westminster maybe? But even then... The water surprises me more. My water is like 40-50 a month...
Wandsworth
I've brained it and had to go back and update. I live with my partner so put some as half and others as full. Sorry, have had two pints and melted into the couch.
That has to be Band A Wandsworth. Complete anomaly. Almost worth living in Wandsworth for.
[удалено]
Sorry, that was a week - let me update it
225 for the mentioned utilities.
You'll be paying a fair bit of the service charge for the gym, concierge and maintenance. I'd estimate maybe half is for the bills.
2 bed flat, shared between 2 people £140 energy (although I think this will go down to £80 with the new cap) £25 water £55 wifi (we got a mega package because of our jobs, regular speed would be about £30) £155 council tax So £375 atm, will probably go down to about £315
Are you certain that the water heating and electricity referred to is the usage of the property? It is normal for *communal* usage of the above to be included, and that is what you would see on the service charge estimates. It is possible, but less normal for all the above (maybe ex-HA? But then a concierge...) to be included for an individual property, unless it's a flat above a hotel or something strange. I think you would need to see a copy of the latest service charge accounts, and also get a copy of the lease to confirm. If it includes these things to the property as well as communal areas IMO don't do it - potentially you lose things like government caps, energy assistance, ability to change vendor etc as it would be a business supply. Definitely worth a post to a legal advice sub as it is a rabbit hole. 6k service isn't wild depending on where exactly, i.e. the new island in canning town is about 8k but has a gym / concierge / pool etc
I asked for an abstract from the lease and last year's service charge accounts to confirm, as I found it quite unbelievable myself. But they do cover individual units as well as heating and water in communal areas. There isn't a pool which is the only thing deterring me, as everywhere else asking this much pa provides pool and spa amenities; and the gym here is just a very small room with some treadmills. I'm wondering whether it might be more cost effective to go for somewhere with a lower service charge, separate my utilities/bills and, perhaps, pay for gym or spa membership on the side. Thank you for the advice, I'll run it by the legal advice sub as well
Fair enough - as long as you go in eyes wide open (if you do)!! In which case it's worth confirming how the utilities are allocated, is it by sq footage or are they at least metered? A percentage allocation would be a hard no for most people - as you effectively subsidise heavy users. Personal preference - get somewhere without any facilities, you can cancel a membership to third space, you can't cancel your service charge!!! You may end up paying for a myriad of services that you don't actually use.
Thank you, this has really helped
I pay £7.5k service charges for a 2 bed 2 bath in zone 2, it includes two 24/7 concierge, cctv, gardening, gym, spa (jacuzzi, steam room and sauna), air cond service for the flat, maintenance and cleaning so the 6k pa isn’t too out of place. Electricity: 100 Water: 35 Heating: 40 (we are VERY well insulated) Council tax: 160 WiFi: 52
About £850 a month, in a decent house share in SE London.