Service Charge Consultation

Introduction

Since October 2022 we have been meeting with those residents who volunteered to be part of the consultation working groups, and we have created these pages to provide you with updates from the meetings. For more details on each of the meetings please follow the links below.

Your observations and our replies

Please find all your observations and our replies completed during the voting.

Voting results

Service Charge Consultation | Cleaning and Caretaking Consultation

Consultation working group (1 Feb 23 - 31 Mar 24)

Meeting 12 - 17 January 2024

  • Subjects covered

00:00 - Review of minutes from previous meeting

20:30 - Voting Results #1 - Cleaning and Caretaking Customer Satisfaction

27:25 - Voting Results #2 - Cleaning and Caretaking Service Operation & Charging

30:41 - Cleaning and Caretaking voting summary and the next steps

38:00 - Service Charges Consultation methods of formal announcement of results

45:50 - Service Charges Consultation other considerations (landscaping, trees, & communication)

1:09:00 - The future

1:40:00 - Thank you

  • Decisions made

NO DECISIONS MADE

Meeting 11 - 13 December 2023

 

  • Subjects covered

00:00 - Review of minutes from previous meeting

06:36 - Voting - Summary of some of the observations received

10:24 - Voting Results #1 - Number of residents who voted

12:45 - Voting Results #2 - Establishment of Customer Panel

13:57 - Voting Results #3 - Apportionment of Service Charges

15:38 - Voting Results #4 - Communal Electricity in Blocks and Communal Rooms

18:01 - Voting Results #5 - Sinking and Reserve Funds

21:39 - Voting Results #6 - Communal Gas in Blocks and Communal Rooms

22:32 - Voting Results #7 - Full Recovery

33:38 - Voting Results #8 - Service Charge Categories

34:24 - Voting Results #9 - Service Charge Structure

35:42 - Voting Results #10 - Stairlifts

37:57 - Voting Results #11 - Open Spaces #1

39:44 - Voting Results #12 - Open Spaces #2

42:29 - Voting Results #13 - Fly-tipping

46:45 - Voting Results #14 - Communal Heating

47:55 - Voting Results #15 - Communal Sewerage

51:39 - Satisfaction Results #16 - Cleaning Satisfaction

53:21 - Satisfaction Results #17 - Caretaking Satisfaction

54:18 - Satisfaction Results #18 - Whether Caretaker Keeps Residents Informed

55:14 - Satisfaction Results #19 - Whether Residents Know How To Report Issues

1:03:44 - PRIZE DRAW RESULTS!

1:10:13 - Management Fees

1:19:14 - Administration Fees

1:34:00 - Publishing Consultation Results

1:45:08 - The Next Steps

  • Decisions made

NO DECISIONS MADE

Meeting 10 - 15 November 2023

 

  • Subjects covered
  • Decisions made

 

Meeting 9 - 11 October 2023

 

  • Subjects covered 

       - Discussion about service charge letter and voting form. 

  • Decisions made

       No decisions made.

Meeting 8 - 13 September 2023

 

  • Subjects covered

    - Discussion on how to charge non-standard items, like:

           Open space and garden maintenance 

           Fly tipping

           Weighting on charges for utilities, water and sewerage

           Management Fees

           Use of sheltered housing facilities by other groups 

Meeting 7 - 2 August 2023

 

  • Subjects covered

    - Dialogue with Amanda Griffiths Group Head of Adult Services responsible for Caretaking and Cleaning

    - Progress of Leaseholder and Tenant service charge letter

    - Update from Natasha Hutchin on Repair and Maintenance consultation

     
  • Decisions made



    1. Create a sub-group to review MKCC Caretaking and Cleaning Service

    Brighton Eraki, Service Charge Accountant will lead the task and finish group. The first meeting will be Wednesday 23rd August 2023.

Meeting 6 - 12 July 2023

 

  • Subjects covered

    - Consultation C Leaseholders letter approval and procedure

    - Building Insurance approach and letter

    - Service Charge components narratives and concepts

    - Scope for Caretaking and Cleaning

    - Open space ground maintenance and garden maintenance

     
  • Decisions made



    1. Service Charge and Rent definition approved

    The group approved the definition for rent and service charge. It will be added to the website. It is a working definition, there is capacity to change the definition in the future.



    2. Letter informing changes to leaseholder billing approved

    The group approved the changes to billing for Leaseholders. Letters will be sent to all leaseholders and available on the website.



    3. Building Insurance letter and process approved

    Letter requesting policy details will be sent to all shared owners in due course.

Meeting 5 - 7 June 2023

 

  • Subjects covered



    - Update from Natasha Hutchin-Group Head of Finance

      (topics discussed included context, service delivery, contract management, complaints,  repair and maintenance consultation)

    - Variable charges- definition, property hierarchy and block structures

    - 10 steps of service charge from the repair to the charge described

    - How do we organise the list of service charges-grouping together similar charges

    - Cleaning and Caretaking Service Delivery

    -  Apportionment video version 2

     
  • Decisions made



    1. Leaseholder Certificate details online

    Add details of leaseholder certificates online so many leaseholders can self-help.



    2. Tenants service charge components online

    Add proposed service charge components for tenants online rather than sending letters to all. Ask Communications to add on social media pages.



    3. Caretaking and Cleaning working group to be formed

    Create another working group that will deal with caretaking and cleaning charges and service standards.



    4. Apportionment video approved

    Group approved Apportionment video and it will be added to this webpage.

Meeting 4 - 10 May 2023

 

  • Subjects covered

    - 5 page definitions of rents and service charges

    - Service Charge Estimates- how we arrive at our figures

    - Structures - how we organise the list of service charges

    - Discussion include what is a block, communal access and open spaces

    - Voting - what to vote on

    - Visual guide on apportionment

     
  • Decisions made



    1. Leaseholder calendar change

    The group agreed that MKCC put forward their proposal on the website and invite leaseholders to vote.



    2. Full recovery option

    The group decided not to have a wider vote on implementing full recovery. As they did not agree with the principle of full recovery and decided not to move forward with this option.

Meeting 3 - 12 April 2023

  • Agenda
  • Minutes
  • Meeting recording (no recording taken)

     
  • Subjects covered

    - Overview of accountancy functions

    - Leaseholder calendar changes

    - Building insurance

    - Voting options

    - Webpage Options

     
  • Decisions made



    1. Definitions

    Agreed that MKCC should provide a definition for approval at next meeting to include in the rents & service charge document and then posted to the Housing Consultation web pages.



    2. Gas and electricity estimate data

    The group agreed that the service charge estimate data for gas and electricity should be uploaded to the Housing Consultation website.



    3. Apportionments of service charges #1

    Agreed that apportionment of service charges, where possible can be resolved, and that a new tenants panel could be established to review any service charge queries raised by customers in the future.



    4. Apportionments of service charges #2

    Agreed the group will look at each service and decide the basis of apportionment. A starting point will be the number of units and be varied as found necessary. 



    5. Full recovery of service charges

    Agreed that MKCC can operate full recovery, with a vote being placed on the website to agree on the number of weeks which can be collected, after which MKCC will meet the shortfall.



    6. Administration of sinking funds and reserve funds

    Agreed that there was no point in MKCC approaching leaseholders to see if they wanted sinking funds to be established. Subject to further information being provided, it was thought that a single fund for tenants for each block would be better than multiple smaller funds. 



    7. Leaseholder calendar changes #1

    Those leaseholders present agreed that MKCC proposal made sense, and to implement as outlined, as it brought leaseholders service charges in line with tenants, which is part of this consultation.



    8. Leaseholder calendar changes #2 - Regarding decisions to be made in respect to Consultation C affecting RTB Leaseholders only, the group thought that MKCC should come up with some proposals and consult leaseholders through voting on the Housing Consultation website.

Meeting 2 - 1 March 2023

 

  • Subjects covered

    - Terms of Reference-Code of Conduct

    - Rent increase context and letter

    - Service Charge Item list -what is the priority?

    - Spotlight on Caretaking and Cleaning Service

    - Levels of engagement

     
  • Decisions made



    1. Keep minutes format the same

    Attendees were happy to keep the format of the minutes.  It was noted that as the project commences minutes may need to evolve.



    2. Close membership of the group - Membership to the Service Charge Review group is now closed. Other residents can still comment or vote though our website on items requested by the group.



    3. The right to have confidential meetings

    We will along the principles of transparency so residents can monitor and influence progress through our webpage. Both the group and MKCC can request for aspects of meetings to be confidential. Particularly if it effects privacy and data protection.



    4. High priority service charge items

    Group will look at Electricity, Utilities and Management Fees as high priority. Items which are statutory and prescribed will be discussed on one meeting.

Meeting 1 - 1 February 2023

 

  • Subjects covered

    - Project Scope

    - Service Charge Context, background and definitions

    - Communication Plan

    - Group Structure

     
  • Decisions made



    1. Accepting new group members

    Group will be open to new members until the next meeting on 1 March 2023. Before the next meeting, the working group should be advertised online, by email, and by letter if possible.



    2. Maximum group size

    Group agreed that the maximum group size should not exceed 50 members.



    3. Frequency of meetings

    Initially monthly, but the group will remain flexible and the schedule of meetings will depend on the workload. At times, the group may need to meet every 2-3 weeks, some other times e.g., August, there may be fewer meetings.



    4. How, when, and where to meet - Next time the meeting will be online via Teams, on the same day (Wednesday), at the same time (6.30pm-8.30pm). In the future, the meetings could be face-to-face at Civic (expenses to be covered).



    5. Selecting the chair

    Andy Hodgson to be the chair for now, and later the group may decide to change this.

Accessibility statement

If you unable to access, open, or view any of the information on this page, please contacts us via one of the communication channels listed below.

Housing Consultations

Housing Consultations contact information

Milton Keynes City Council, Civic, 1 Saxon Gate East, Milton Keynes MK9 3EJ