£120k major works bill for listed London leasehold flat- reasonable or red flag?
Hi all, looking for some advice/opinions on a leasehold major works dispute in central London.
I own a leasehold flat in a ~250 year old listed/protected building in Soho/Covent Garden area. The freeholder/developer carried out extensive refurbishment works over several years. There have already been tribunal proceedings/disputes involving multiple leaseholders and their solicitors.
I’ve now received a “without prejudice save as to costs” settlement offer which includes 20% discount for major works/service charges relating to works allegedly completed in 2022. The full price would’ve been 120k on a 870k apartment.
The issue is that:
- the project dragged on for years
- there was major disruption/scaffolding/inconvenience
- common areas still appear incomplete (lobby/stairs/lift etc.)
- leaseholders repeatedly requested more detailed cost breakdowns/documentation and felt this was not properly provided
- many leaseholders dispute the reasonableness of the costs and are taking it to tribunal
- it doesn’t look like major works, but light refurbishing. and there’s even more work to be done that i’ll be charged for, and i don’t know how much that will cost. might be another 100k+ but also going to tribunal might incur even more legal fees.
From my personal flat’s perspective, the direct works benefiting me were mainly:
- new windows (which i didn’t need or ask for)
- skylight replacement (same, didn’t need or ask for)
- some kitchen pipe work
I fully understand leaseholders contribute toward wider structural/common works and not just their own unit, especially in old listed buildings. I’m not arguing that I should pay nothing.
However, I’m trying to understand:
- whether these figures are remotely normal/reasonable for this type of building/project in central London
- how much weight tribunals give to delays/incomplete common works
- whether refusal/lack of detailed cost transparency is a red flag
- whether a 20% settlement discount suggests litigation risk or if this is standard practice
- what documents/information leaseholders should specifically request before deciding whether to settle or continue disputing
I’m unfamiliar and wholly overwhelmed with how these situations usually play out in the UK leasehold system, so any practical insight would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance!