Service charges explained

Covers the cost for organising and managing the services provided 

Servicing and maintenance of air conditioning systems for the communal areas of a building 

Provides the phone line needed for emergency alarms, like those in lifts or other safety systems 

Leaseholders only. Annual servicing of the heating system. 

Servicing and maintenance of specialist bathroom equipment 

Upkeep and repairs for CCTV cameras and equipment in shared areas 

Cleaning of shared areas, including supplies, equipment, and occasional deep cleans. Temporary staff may be used if needed 

Regular servicing and maintenance to wash and dry toilet systems in communal areas. 

In some extra care buildings, meals are provided by an external catering service. This charge helps cover the upkeep of kitchen equipment used to support the service 

Covers the upkeep of appliances in communal kitchens, mainly found in our sheltered housing schemes 

Supports the security of your building and estate, including CCTV monitoring, alarms, and access control 

For leasehold customers only, this covers repairs by the Freeholder to the building structure, shared areas or other parts 

Repairing and maintaining the door entry system or any other secured or gated/barrier entrances to your development   

Annual servicing of the door entry system or gated/barrier system 

Regular cleaning of laundry ducts in shared laundries to remove lint and dirt, helping prevent blockages and keep equipment safe and working properly 

Provides electricity for lighting and power in shared indoor and outdoor areas at your scheme or block 

Upkeep of emergency lighting in shared corridors and stairwells, including bulb changes, battery replacements and system upgrades if necessary.  

Purchase of equipment for communal areas costing less than £2,500 

Repair and maintenance of electric vehicle charging points 

For leaseholders only, this covers the cost of external property decoration. 

Regular servicing and testing of the fire alarm and emergency lighting systems in your building including the monitoring of these systems. 

Repair and maintenance of the fire alarm. This may include battery replacements, engineer call outs and upgrades to the system. 

Covers upkeep of fire safety equipment like extinguishers, blankets, sprinklers, dry risers, and ventilation systems 

Annual servicing of fire extinguishers, sprinkler system, dry riser, smoke pressurisation and ventilation units, the door entry system or gated/barrier system 

For leaseholders only, this covers the cost of meeting fire safety requirements 

For some customers in supported housing, this covers the cost of providing certain furniture and furnishings 

Covers the cost of gas used to heat shared areas in your scheme or block 

Usually on large developments, an external company is appointed by the builder to manage shared services across all properties, not just those owned by Karbon. 

Covers grounds maintenance like grass cutting and hedge care in shared open spaces owned by Karbon. All residents contribute, as everyone benefits from well-kept communal areas 

Income which comes from guest room or other charges and is credited back via the service charge 

Repair, maintenance and servicing of washing machines and dryers in communal laundries 

For leasehold customers where an external company is appointed (usually on large, mixed-tenure developments) to manage shared services across all properties, not just those owned by Karbon 

Repairs and maintenance costs for the structure of the building and other items that the lease requires the freeholder to carry out 

Repair and maintenance of passenger lift at your scheme or block 

Annual servicing of the passenger lift at your scheme or block and monitoring of the emergency alarm 

A lightning protection system uses metal rods, electrodes and grounding components to lessen or prevent lightning strike damage to your building   

A mansafe system helps prevent falls from places like roofs. It uses cables and anchors to keep workers safely secured while allowing them to move freely. These systems are checked and tested regularly 

In some extra care schemes, residents may receive meals each week. These are prepared by an external caterer, and each meal comes with a charge. 

To cover the costs of small low cost purchases 

This is a tax applied to non-domestic properties such as commercial buildings or offices  

Portable Appliance Testing checks electrical equipment in communal areas of your building to make sure it's safe 

The costs of surveys and treatment for the removal of pests from communal areas 

The cost of replacing large equipment, which is spread over several years. This shows as depreciation on your service charge 

The cost of repairs and maintenance of equipment not listed elsewhere 

Staff costs at sheltered or extra care schemes, including salaries and any temporary staff needed 

Repair and maintenance of intruder alarms 

In some supported housing properties, Karbon pays the council tax and passes the cost on to the customer 

Costs for servicing and maintenance of specialist equipment  

Employment costs for staff where additional building and tenancy housing management support are provided 

Repair and maintenance of stairlifts in communal areas 

Servicing of stairlifts in communal areas 

Servicing and maintenance of backup generators that provide light and power if the main supply fails 

Planned or emergency work to trees  

Repair and maintenance to communal TV aerial or other communal receiving equipment 

TV licence fee for communal area televisions, usually in sheltered housing. It doesn’t cover TVs in individual homes 

Cost of checks and work to meet water safety rules, including legionella testing and Thermostatic Mixing Valve servicing