Service charge: Frequently Asked Questions
Your service charge is a weekly calculation of all relevant services that you receive in and around your home. This includes the staff team on site as well as the Service Hub, building safety checks and works, contracted services, communal repairs, lighting and other property related costs. Services provided differ depending upon where you live and are individually shown in your service charge letter.
Each year, we will give you an estimate of the cost of providing our services, which will be the amount you will be charged. These estimates are calculated by the departments that provide your services, including our asset management and maintenance teams and independent living team. The service charge team set the estimated charges for communal utilities and third-party service charges.
At the end of the year, we calculate what was actually spent on the services paid for by your service charges. This may be higher or lower that we estimated. The difference between the estimated and the actual costs will either be added to your account immediately or will be carried forward to your service charge budget for the next year. This is determined by the terms of your lease or tenancy agreement.
You will receive a service charge statement each year that will detail how the difference will be applied to your account.
Generally, we will charge you for each financial year - 1 April to 31 March - but this will be confirmed in your lease or tenancy agreement. We will let you know the estimated charge for the year ahead at least one month before the charge changes.
Housing benefit - we contacted your Local Authority and will write to them again in March, confirming the new charge from April 2023. The rent and service charge will be covered by the Housing Benefit you are entitled to.
Universal Credit - you must inform the DWP about your new rent and any eligible service charges via your online UC account on, or as soon as possible after, 4 April 2023. Please do not report them before 4 April 2023.
For some residents, we appreciate the service charge increases may have a significant financial impact. We want to support these residents as best we can. Our income management team offers a welfare benefits advice service and can also provide you with an income expenditure review.
In some cases, we can also consider access to C&C’s financial support fund. This is a discretionary fund and will be accessible to those who can demonstrate they are unable to pay their charges in full.
In order to access our welfare benefits advice service, undertake an income expenditure review or apply to C&C’s financial support fund, please contact your local Service Officer or the Service Hub on 0207 922 5300. Please note that any information shared with us will be in strictest confidence.
We recognise that some residents may find it difficult to pay the full service charge. Our income support team offers a welfare benefits advice service and can also provide you with an income expenditure review. You can call the Service Hub on 0207 922 5300 to arrange a discussion with our Income Team if you need assistance with claiming benefits or are concerned about meeting your rent and service charge payments. You can also write to or email us at contact-us@ccht.org.uk with your questions and we’ll be happy to set up a telephone call.
In some cases, we can consider access to C&C’s financial support fund. This is a discretionary fund and will be accessible to those who can demonstrate they are unable to pay their charges in full.
Personal charges for heating and hot water are not covered by Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, and will still need to be paid directly.
We recognise this is a difficult time and we will support you in every way possible. We have our own Welfare Benefits Advisor who can provide support as well as a working relationship with the Citizens’ Advice and Money Advice Services.
They are also based on the cost of services delivered, which can change. We have no additional plans to increase charges during this year. All of the services delivered to you are subject to an ongoing review so that we can ensure you receive the best quality services at the lowest cost available.
Yes, you may be. Last year we issued an end-of-year statement for April 2021 to March 2022. This statement will advise you whether we would need to ask you to pay more or if we would be giving you money back.
The service charges are estimated, so we cannot guarantee whether there will be further changes the following year. They are also based on the cost of services delivered, which can change. All of the services delivered to you are subject to ongoing review so that we can ensure you receive the best quality services at the lowest cost available.
Yes, the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 gives leaseholders and tenancts the legal right to inspect accounts, receiots and other supporting evidence relating to the collection and administration of service charge accounts. This request can only be made at the end of the financial year and must be made within six months of you receiving your service charge statement. Please contact the service charge team on servicecharges@aster.co.uk or call our Service Hub on 020 7922 5300.
If you have any queries regarding your service charge, you can reach us via e-mail contact-us@ccht.org.uk or call us on 0207 922 5300.
Get in touch with us
This is a difficult time for many of you and we wish to remind you that we want to support and help you during this time and are also available through our normal channels: contact-us@ccht.org.uk Service Hub:0207 922 5300 0207 922 5300