Every year, hundreds of thousands of people find themselves with service charge demands that they know to be inaccurate. As the law stands currently, no matter how erroneous or extortionate the demands, tenants and residents are expected to pay up and then argue for overpaid monies to be refunded.

We want the law changed so that disputed service charges can be paid to the courts and only passed onto landlords if they can prove the legitimacy of the bills. Otherwise, the money is returned to the tenant or resident. 

We want to end the 'pay now, challenge later' rule that leaves tenants and residents out of pocket, creates a financial advantage to landlords who overcharge for services, and that has created a system in which service charge abuse is endemic because landlords have no incentive to investigate or remedy inaccuracies.

Service charge inaccuracies affect renters (tenants), shared owners, and leaseholders. They are applied by all types of landlord: council, housing association, and private. Any new law must apply to all those affected.