Service charges depend on the type of home you live in and whether you're a social rent, affordable rent, shared owner or leaseholder. Each year, we estimate the cost of providing services based on previous year's actual costs and what we expect for the coming year. Every year in February, we send you a letter with your estimated charges for the new financial year, starting in April.
In September, you’ll receive a service charge certificate showing the actual cost of services for the previous financial year and any difference from the estimate. This means you’ll know if you’ve paid too much or too little.
Here’s what you need to know about how we estimate and confirm your service charges, and how we keep you updated throughout the process.
In February each year we will send you notification showing your estimated service charges for the new financial year.
Your service charges will show what we estimate the cost of providing services to your home will be for the following year. These new charges start at the beginning of April each year.
If you are a tenant this notification will also detail what your new rent will be from April each year too.
You can find a copy of your estimated charges letter on Connect, you can also see your live balance and make payments.
At the end of the financial year, in March we look at all the invoices we have paid against what was estimated. In September, we will send you a service charge certificate, which is a statement of account which shows you the actual costs against what was estimated.
If we have estimated more than the cost this shows on your statement as a surplus and if we have estimated less than the cost this shows on your statement as a deficit.
If you are a tenant, then any surplus or deficit amounts are carried forward and are used when we set your service charges from April the following year.
If you are a leaseholder or a shared owner and pay by direct debit, we will amend your payments up or down, depending on whether you have a deficit or a surplus on your account following the issuing of the service charge certificate. This is typically in line with your lease terms and to ensure that your account is up to date by the end of the financial year.
You can find a copy of your service charge actuals certificate on Connect, you can also see your live balance and make payments.
Your Rights and Obligations
It is a legal requirement that we must send you a summary of your rights and obligations with any demand for payment of a service charge. A copy of your rights and obligations can be read and downloaded here.
What if I'm having difficulty paying my service charges?
We are always working to obtain the best value for money for the services we provide; however, we are increasingly seeing costs rise.
If you’re struggling to pay your service charges, then please contact us as soon as possible.
You can also visit our Support with your finances webpage to see how we can help if you're struggling to pay your service charges.
Contact us
If you need help, or have any questions, talk to us. You can:
- Call us on 03000 120 120
- Email act@alliancehomes.org.uk
- Complete our online 'Contact us' webform
- Report your concerns through Connect, our online customer portal
- Sending us a message through Live Chat on our website
- Writing or visiting us at Alliance Homes, 40 Martingale Way, Portishead, BS20 7AW.