Your service charge covers the cost of maintaining your building and neighbourhood. The charge reflects the real cost of providing the service. We do not make a profit.
On this page, you can find helpful information about specific charges, how we calculate them, and more.
We calculate service charges based on the previous year's costs, usually adjusting for inflation. However, there may be some changes that are not in line with this. We aim to keep service charges fair and affordable while maintaining the safety and quality of your home and building.
Your service charge covers a range of communal services, which could include:
You can see a full breakdown in your service charge statement.
Below, you can also find specific information about what we charge for and how we allocate this.
There are a range of different ways you can pay your service charges. Now that our systems are integrated with Hyde, you'll be using their payment methods. Details on those are below:
Where possible, we prefer you to pay Direct Debit. This way, your bank automatically transfers the correct amount to us on a fixed date or frequency, and you never have to worry about missing a payment. This significantly reduces the risk of arrears building up on your account.
You can set up your payments to be made weekly, fortnightly, four weekly or monthly as long as your account is paid on time, as per the time of your tenancy.
Make a payment online in a few simple steps using your Hyde payment reference number (a 4-11 digit number found on any recent statement) with our free, secure MyAccount service .
To pay online visit our payment website. You‘ll need the 19-digit number from your Hyde Payment Card.
Alternatively, log into MyAccount to make payments, view your payment history, and download statements. You don’t need the 19-digit number to make payments in MyAccount.
You can also pay online via the Allpay website, using your 19-digit number. If you need to find out your 19-digit payment number, please call customer services on 0800 3 282 282.
Payments can be made by debit or credit card over the phone, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling us free on 0800 3 282 282 and selecting Option 3 followed by Option 1 to go through the automated service.
Please ensure you have your Hyde Payment Card ready. You will receive an authorisation number at the end of the process that you should keep as proof of payment. The payment will be on your account the following working day.
You can also call Allpay on 0330 041 6497 (24 hours a day). You will need your Hyde Payment Card or account payment reference and your debit or credit card details. Please be aware that these calls are charged at 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge, which may vary depending on your provider.
You can make payments at a Post Office or local shop by cash, cheque or debit/credit card using your Hyde payment card. Just look for the Pay Point sign.
Payments made by this method will reach your rent account within 48 hours. Always keep the receipt as proof of payment.
If you lose your payment card, contact us on 0800 3 282 282 immediately to order a replacement. You should receive a new card within ten working days.
You can pay with your mobile phone using the Text Payment service from Allpay. This is a secure payment method. To begin text payments, you simply need a UK-registered mobile phone, a valid Allpay swipe card (your Hyde Payment card) and a debit or credit card.
After registering online at www.allpayments.net/textpay, you can pay at any time, by texting a code and the amount you wish to pay to 81025.
A recurring payment is an alternative to Direct debit where a regular payment is taken from a debit or credit card rather than a bank account. It is also known as a continuous payment authority or CPA.
Set up via an Income Officer, recurring payments can be set to collect from the next day on an ongoing or fixed basis and they provide more flexibility on frequencies and collection dates.
Customer benefits include automated notification to a chosen email address or mobile number specified at set-up to alert the customer to payments taken, amendments or cancellation.
If you would like to set up a recurring payment, please contact us.
You may be entitled to claim benefits to pay your housing costs. It's your responsibility to ensure that any payments made to you in respect of housing costs are paid to Hyde.
Payment on time means you should pay your rent on the day it is due. Your rent/service charge account must be up to date at all times, as part of your tenancy conditions.
We regularly review our services to ensure they are effective, and costs reflect actual delivery. Below, you'll find any updates on how charges are set, along with details on what’s included in your service charge. You can also check your statement and see a breakdown of each charge.
| Charge | What is the charge for? | How is it allocated? |
| Caretaking and cleaning | Cleaning of shared indoor and outdoor areas such as entrances, hallways, bin stores, and stairwells. The charge covers cleaner salaries, cleaning materials, equipment, van hire and insurance, deep cleans, and rapid response to health and safety risks. |
From April 2025, cleaning costs will be evenly split among all residents, ensuring fairness across all THCH blocks, which follow the same cleaning standards and schedule. To meet demand and maintain high standards in communal spaces, we’ve expanded our cleaning team. The costs are fairly distributed among all homes receiving this service. Each home now contributes £403.33 per year (approximately £7.76 per week) to ensure shared spaces remain clean and well-maintained. |
| Communal window cleaning | Cleaning of communal windows, including those on shared doors. Residents are responsible for cleaning their own windows in their home. | This charge is shared equally by you and your neighbours in your block. |
| Charge | What is the charge for? | How is it allocated? |
| Bulk rubbish | Regular and on-demand visits to remove large waste items and fly-tipped rubbish from estates, along with related contractor costs (like administration and compliance for waste disposal). Keeping our estates clean is a shared responsibility and is essential for health, safety, and fire prevention. | Residents living on estates managed by us share this cost equally, at approximately £1.77 per week. |
| Estate maintenance and horticulture |
Upkeep of gardens, green spaces, playgrounds, and other outdoor communal areas. Services cover grass and shrub cutting, flower bed care, tree and hedge maintenance, weed control, and litter and leaf clearance. This charge also includes a programme to service and maintain communal ventilation systems that provide airflow to individual properties – you'll only be charged for this element if it applies to your block . |
The charge is split among residents on your estate and depends on the facilities and services available in your area. |
| Pest control | Prevention and treatment of pest issues, managed on a case-by-case basis. While treatments typically focus on communal spaces, we may extend services to individual properties to prevent outbreaks, such as bed bugs. |
The charge is shared among residents living on estates for proactive visits, with frequency determined by contractors based on the risk of pests. If there is a pest issue specific to a block, the cost will be shared among residents in that block. |
| Refuse containers | The hiring, maintenance, cleaning, and replacement of large household waste bins (known as ‘paladin’ bins). If your estate has an Underground Refuse System (URS), this charge will cover proactive cleaning and health checks. |
The charge is split among residents and depends on the number of paladin bins or URS units on your estate. |
| Charge | What is the charge for? | How is it allocated? |
| Building insurance |
Building insurance for your home (not including contents) which covers your property against damage, acts of terrorism, and your liability as a property owner. The premium is provided directly by the insurer and ensures the lowest possible excess payment. |
Your premium is based on the estimated cost of rebuilding your individual property, not your entire block. Click here to visit our detailed website page about this. |
| Building insurance excess layer | This additional coverage may be required because your building is considered higher risk by insurers. |
It is based on the estimated cost to rebuild your individual property, not your entire block. Click here to visit our detailed website page about this. |
| Lift insurance | An insurance premium for your lift. | This charge is based on the number of lifts in your building, shared equally by you and your neighbours. |
Click here to visit our detailed website page about building insurance.
| Charge | What is the charge for? | How is it allocated? |
| External review | Previously called ‘Audit Fee’, this charge is for an independent review of our service charges to ensure they are correct and fair. | This charge is shared equally amongst Leaseholders and Shared Owners. |
| Management charge | Organising and managing the services provided to your building (e.g. systems, accounting, general overheads, debt recovery, consultations). | This is calculated as 15% of your entire service charge. |
| Third party managing agent | A dedicated Managing Agent responsible for overseeing services, handling invoicing, and acting as a point of contact. | The charge is set by the Managing Agent and shared equally among you and your neighbours. |
| Charge | What is the charge for? | How is it allocated? |
| Communal repairs | Reactive repairs and proactive electrical testing in shared areas of your building and surrounding spaces, such as streetlights and pathways. All charges align with the terms of your tenancy or lease agreement. | Charges are based on the estimated repair costs for your block, calculated using the average costs from the previous year. |
| Communal TV aerial and/or satellite maintenance | Maintenance of shared TV aerials and satellites to provide access to terrestrial TV services. If you want additional channels, such as Sky TV, you’ll need to arrange and pay for this separately. | If this charge appears on your statement, the cost is split among you and your neighbours. |
| Entry phone maintenance | Maintenance of intercom and key fob systems to ensure secure access to your building. | The charge is split among residents in your block and is based on past maintenance costs. |
| Lift maintenance | Regular servicing, testing, and repairs to keep lifts and their emergency phone lines safe and operational. | Our lift contractor provides an annual repair estimate based on the lifts’ age and condition, which is used to determine the charge. The charge is then split among residents in your block. |
| Sewers and drains | Repairs to the sewers and drains that serve your block. | The charge is equally split among residents in your block and is based on past repair costs. |
| Charge | What is the charge for? | How is it allocated? |
| Estate security and/or concierge | This covers security measures specific to your block or estate, which may include CCTV maintenance (including the internet access), Park Guard patrols, or a concierge service. | Charges are based on the security services provided to your block and estate. You’ll only pay for the services that apply to your property, with costs shared among residents. |
| Fire Risk Assessment |
Evaluating potential fire risks in your block. The frequency of assessments depends on the level of risk, as determined by our Fire Risk Assessors - it may be every one, two, or three years. This charge covers the assessment only; any required fire safety equipment or communal repairs are charged separately. |
If this charge appears on your statement, an assessment is scheduled for your block this year. The cost is shared among residents. |
| Fire safety equipment |
Regular maintenance, testing, and repairs of essential fire safety equipment such as fire alarms, fire doors, extinguishers, emergency lighting, and other necessary systems. The frequency of testing depends on the amount of fire safety equipment in your block, and not all blocks will have every type of equipment listed. This charge now includes extra resources for better engagement, communication, and safety checks, following new building safety regulations. These costs were not previously part of service charges and are only charged to leaseholders and shared owners. |
The cost is equally shared among residents in your block. |
| Charge | What is the charge for? | How is it allocated? |
| Cold water storage | Maintaining the water pumps and tanks that store and supply water to your home. To ensure the system remains clean and safe, this charge includes water risk assessments, which are carried out every two years. | If you are charged for this on your statement the costs are shared by you and your neighbours. |
| Communal electricity | Electricity used in shared spaces like hallways, lifts, door entry systems and outdoor lighting. |
The charge is split among residents in your block and is based on meter readings from the previous year’s usage. We have a contract with Monarch Partnership, who secure competitive fixed rates ahead of tariff changes to help manage costs. |
| Communal heating maintenance | Maintenance, safety, testing, servicing and repair work for communal boiler systems. | If you are charged for this on your statement, the costs are shared by you and your neighbours. |
| Personal heating | This charge depends on your block’s setup. It covers either heating supplied through a communal boiler for properties without individual heat meters or the electricity costs for storage heaters and hot water immersion heaters. | Charges are based on the previous year’s heating consumption for the entire block, as provided by the energy supplier. The total cost is shared equally among residents. |
| Personal water rates | Covers the water used in your home for daily activities like taps, showers, and baths. | Since there are no individual water meters, the total water usage for the block - provided by Thames Water - is shared equally among all residents. |
Service charges usually change each year based on the cost of providing services and factors such as inflation.
We regularly review contracts and look for ways to provide value for money while maintaining quality. We use two types of service charges.
Fixed service charges
These are set at the beginning of the year and don’t change. They are typically used for general needs residents.
Variable service charges
This means the service charge may be adjusted at the end of the year if actual costs vary. This is typically used for leaseholders. More information about this can be found on our actuals page.
Can I review my service charges?
Yes. We provide detailed statements showing what’s included. Please contact us if you have any questions about this.
How can I share my feedback?
We value your input. You can help shape services by taking part in budget discussions or letting us know if something isn’t working as it should.
Need help paying your charges? Have questions or concerns?
If you’re struggling, please contact us as soon as possible. We can offer advice, support, or explore payment options to ease the burden.
As a general needs tenant, your service charge is separate from your rent.
If you need to find information about your rent and how to pay, click below to go to our dedicated page.