Residents win Curo service charge legal battle
Summary
Residents in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, won a legal case against their housing association, Curo, after their service charges increased from about £70 to over £300 per month. Following a tribunal, Curo agreed to limit the charges to just over £100 and will repay the excess fees residents have paid.Key Facts
- Nine families living in shared ownership flats at Coombe Lodge faced a service charge increase of more than 300%.
- Monthly fees rose from around £70 to over £300 before the tribunal decision.
- Curo housing association agreed to reduce charges to just over £100 per month.
- The increase was mainly to grow the sinking fund, which is a savings account for future building costs.
- Residents expressed difficulty affording the higher charges, with some needing extra work to pay.
- The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 aims to improve transparency of service charge bills but is not yet fully in effect.
- Another resident from a different Curo-managed building reported an increase from £990 to over £6,000, planning to take the case to an ombudsman.
- Curo stated it is working with residents to resolve remaining concerns and balance safety with costs.
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