They normally just issue a bill detailing the actual costs. But they are obliged in law to provide a break down if requested.

the man, the place

The last couple of years I have requested a breakdown and successfully challenged some of the costs.

Last year, there were a lot of extra charges to do with fire doors. It took over three months to resolve. I don’t think they ever found the receipts for the work carried out.

This year there was a new process in place. Things are supposed to have improved. It’s started out badly.

I asked for the breakdown on 29th September and I was told that they had been “inundated with queries regarding the actuals.” I eventually received the breakdown on October 23rd.

The latest “repair” bill includes over £3000 for responses to fire alarms. This is a considerable increase on last year.

As far as I am aware there were no fires in the block, so all these alarms were either false alarms or the results of faults in the system.

I raised the following questions:

• Why there is such large increase over last years costs.
• Why there are sometimes multiple invoices for the same incident.
• Why one incident cost £1043.93, when the usual cost is between £80 – £280

I have received a reply, saying my enquiry has been passed on to the manager, Michael Olawepo.

He’s the guy who wants to increase our management fee by 700%.