Highline Solicitors
Recovering residential property service charge arrears
OUR SERVICES
We focus on the recovery of service charge and ground rent arrears in private residential property
GENERAL LITIGATION
We are a niche litigation practice supplying a suite of services for our clients including preventative advice and representation. Our focus is always on efficacy and speed of recovery.
Service Charge Arrears Recovery
Our processes are designed for efficient recovery of unpaid service charge arrears and the legal costs incurred in that action from the debtor. If the lessee won’t pay, we will usually approach any lender with the threat of forfeiture and are normally successful in recovering from them. We recognise that service charge debt has a detrimental effect on the cashflow and management of property. Everything we do is engineered with efficient recovery in mind.
Ground Rent Arrears Recovery
Our recovery of Ground Rent arrears is similar to that of Service Charge. We make use of additional options available to improve on efficiency and recovery times. Generally this is a straight forward and inexpensive process.
OUR MISSION
A cost-effective, efficient service
At Highline Solicitors we pride ourselves in over 40 years’ experience in the recovery of debt and residential repossessions. We are intensely focused on providing a cost effective but quality service to our clients in the recovery of residential service charge and ground rent arrears in a timely manner. Service Charge and Ground Rent arrears can have a big impact on a Freeholder's funds as deficits can adversely affect management of blocks which can struggle to provide services if cash flow is interrupted.
VAST EXPERIENCE
Highline’s team has over 40 years of experience in debt recovery and service charge litigation experience
NO NONSENSE RECOVERY
We are purely focused on recovery of the debts we are instructed to pursue – not in racking up fees or introducing unnecessary delay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Highline is a law firm specialising in service charge debt recovery. If you have received a letter from us, it is because your property manager has referred your outstanding service charge account to us for collection.
This means that legal proceedings are a real possibility if the matter is not resolved. We would encourage you to read your letter carefully and take action promptly. If you have any questions about your specific situation, please contact us using the details on your letter.
Service charge is the contribution you pay towards the cost of maintaining, repairing, and managing the building or estate where your property is located. This typically covers things such as:
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Cleaning of communal areas
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Landscaping and grounds maintenance
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Lift maintenance and repair
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Building insurance
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General repairs and upkeep
Your obligation to pay service charge is set out in your lease or transfer. It is a legal obligation, not a discretionary one. The money collected is held on trust and used solely for the upkeep of your building or estate — your property manager does not profit from it
If your service charge remains unpaid, your property manager will typically attempt to resolve the matter directly with you first. If that is unsuccessful, your account may be referred to us at Highline.
Once your matter is with us, we will write to you before taking further action. However, if the debt remains unresolved, we may commence legal proceedings to recover it. This can result in:
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Additional legal costs being added to the amount you owe
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A county court judgment (CCJ) being entered against you
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Further enforcement action
The quickest and easiest way to pay is online via the payment portal on this website. You will need the Case ID number shown on your letter.
If you are unsure of your outstanding balance or Case ID, please contact us using the details on your letter.
We understand that paying a lump sum is not always possible. In some limited circumstances, we may be able to agree a payment arrangement with you. Please contact us as soon as possible to discuss your situation.
Please note that any payment arrangement will need to be agreed with us in writing before it takes effect and there is an administration fee. Making partial payments without a formal agreement in place does not prevent legal proceedings from continuing.
If you would like to arrange to pay your future service charges in instalments rather than as a lump sum, this is a question for your property manager rather than for us. Please contact them directly to discuss your options.
If you are asking whether you can pay the debt currently with Highline in instalments, please see the question above on payment plans.
We appreciate that financial difficulties can affect anyone, and we are here to help find a resolution where we can.
If you are struggling, we would encourage you to:
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Contact us as soon as possible — the sooner you get in touch, the more options are likely to be available to you.
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Seek free, independent debt advice — organisations such as StepChange, Citizens Advice, and National Debtline offer free, confidential advice and can help you understand your options.
Please do not ignore letters from us. Doing so will not make the debt go away, and may result in additional costs being added to what you owe.