Owning your own home

Just had yet another conversation with the solicitor about our service charge (the managing agent has instructed the solicitor to pursue us for unpaid service charge).

A while ago the solicitor offered to halve their legal costs, presumably based on my showing them that the information that they had posted me showed that I didn't, in fact, owe any service charge (we had arranged to pay quarterly when we moved in, and have been doing that like clockwork for nine-ten years now).

Apparently they've spoken to the managing agent, who has said that he still wants the money, and he still wants us to pay half the legal fees, and that the terms of the lease (which does say the service charge is to be paid twice per year) trump the arrangement that he made with us back in 2011.

The solicitor pointed out that Martin the managing agent wasn't going to back down on this, so I've asked them to take us to court, so we can present the evidence that the solicitor sent to us as our case, and Martin can present his opinions, and we can see who wins.

The solicitor said that they'd speak to their manager and get back to me, and acknowledged that she took my point.

The usual advice is if there's a dispute with a freeholder / managing agent, it's usually better for you to initiate tribunal proceedings (since if they have to initiate them they're more likely to add legal fees et al to the claim). Pain in the bum though and atm the tribunal system is at a standstill. You'll probably get away with this I suspect.