A young family from Surrey claims their lives have been put on hold and their dream of having more children is being crushed by a crippling and ever-increasing service charge that has made their flat impossible to sell.
Financial Strain Halts Family Plans
Sam and Evangeline Thorn, both 33, purchased their two-bedroom leasehold flat in Redhill for £245,000 in 2018. At the time, the annual service charge was a manageable £2,800. However, over the past seven years, this fee has skyrocketed to a staggering £7,500 a year.
The couple, who welcomed a daughter two years ago, are desperate to move to a larger home to accommodate a second child. They are financially ready for the next step, with a mortgage advisor confirming they are in a position to upsize. Yet, they find themselves completely trapped by the property's extortionate service charge.
‘No-One Will Buy Our Flat’
Their attempts to sell the property have been consistently thwarted. Sam, an account manager, revealed they have had around ten viewings arranged by estate agents.
He explained, “Every single person that liked it, when they were then made aware of the service charge cost, the estate agents told us that people didn’t want to go for another viewing. They just weren’t interested.”
This has created an impossible situation. “We’re ready in our lives to have more children, but we just need a bigger place,” Sam said. “We haven’t got enough room to have more children, so literally our lives are on pause at the moment.”
Management Company Responds
The property management company, FirstPort, has acknowledged the issue. A spokesperson stated that they have met with residents and the local MP, Rebecca Paul, on several occasions to explain the service charge calculations.
They attributed a significant portion of the cost to the building's heat network. FirstPort also claims to have taken steps to improve transparency for homeowners by introducing clearer invoices, detailed cost breakdowns, and more opportunities for residents to ask questions.
Despite these assurances, for Sam and Evangeline, the reality is a financial strain and a life in limbo. “It’s not just the financial strain of having to come up with £7,500 a year to pay these costs, but you’re also not able to move on to your life,” Sam lamented. “We’re just stuck where we are at the moment.”
