Service charge disputes can be costly and time-consuming if not handled efficiently.<\/strong><\/p>\n Landlords have a responsibility to maintain the condition of all their residential and commercial properties. They may be able to recoup some of the costs of doing so by issuing tenants with service charges.<\/p>\n There are however several rules and regulations surrounding what it is and isn\u2019t reasonable to charge tenants for. Landlords must ensure that all service charges are reasonable.<\/p>\n If a tenant feels that the service they\u2019re being charged for or the amount that they\u2019re being charged is not reasonable, then they may dispute the charge with their landlord.<\/p>\n The term \u2018reasonable\u2019 is somewhat ambiguous and when disputes occur it is usually the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal (LVT) that decides whether the charge is reasonable.<\/p>\n What happens when a service charge is disputed?<\/strong><\/p>\n The simplest and fastest way to resolve a service charge dispute is usually by communicating and negotiating with the tenant.<\/p>\n However, if a dispute cannot be resolved in this way, then either the tenant or landlord can apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to determine whether the charge is payable or not.<\/p>\n