Lisburn apartment owners call for 'right to challenge' service charges

A group of apartment owners is advocating for the legal ability to contest property service charges after experiencing a steep rise in their annual fees, which have more than tripled since 2018. Residents of Lisburn Square report that their service charges, which were around £1,400 per year in 2018, have soared to over £4,300 in the most recent financial year.

These leaseholders pay service charges to Ambit CRE, the managing agent, covering maintenance, repairs, communal area management, and insurance costs. Lisburn Square No 2, the landlord of the apartment owners, emphasized that it is the “largest individual contributor to the service charge” and confirmed that all spending undergoes auditing. Sheila Hughes, a 97-year-old resident who bought her apartment in 2010, has appealed to Stormont for stronger legal protections for apartment owners. She expressed concerns about affordability on a widow’s pension, stating, “It just seems an awful lot and on a widow’s pension, really it doesn’t go very far.”

Northern Ireland currently lacks specific legislation or regulation for shared property, affirming the Department of Finance’s position that no such rules exist. Heather Jackson, who has owned her apartment for over two decades, spoke about the stress caused by the rising charges, calculating that the current fees amount to £365 per month, which is a significant financial burden for pensioners. In contrast to Northern Ireland, leaseholders in England, Scotland, and Wales have the option to challenge service charges through an independent tribunal.

Residents like Anderson and others are urging for changes in the law to allow leaseholders in Northern Ireland the right to dispute fees they consider unreasonable. Anderson remarked, “We know when you buy an apartment, you have to pay towards communal areas,” adding, “What we want is to know that we are paying a fair and reasonable amount, and here we have nowhere we can challenge this.”

Lisburn Square No 2 responded by noting that it “inherited all legal leasehold arrangements that exist between the landlord and leaseholders, to which both parties are bound” when it took over the development. The company explained that the legal lease agreement outlines how service charges operate, including the responsibilities of both landlord and leaseholder. They also highlighted that leaseholders are required to obtain independent legal advice before entering agreements. Additionally, all service charge expenditures are audited by chartered certified accountants, with summaries of residential expenses provided by the managing agent to each leaseholder.

Ambit CRE, the managing agent, was contacted for comment and stated that the landlord would be responding directly on the issue. Meanwhile, in October 2025, Finance Minister John O’Dowd announced intentions to reform how shared property management is regulated across Northern Ireland. O’Dowd stressed the importance of ensuring that residents in apartments and shared developments are protected by clear, fair, and effective regulation as the housing landscape changes.

A report by the Department of Finance outlined several policy options for reform, such as introducing a registration scheme for managing agents and more fundamental changes to land law. The study revealed examples brought to the attention of assembly members, where constituents faced “significant unexplained increases in service charges that were crippling in their effect.” Lagan Valley assembly member David Honeyford raised these problems with the minister earlier in the year, describing how residents in his constituency feel “held to ransom” and called for increased oversight. Honeyford said, “Our legislation hasn’t kept up to date with the change in how people live today,” stressing the need for transparency so people understand what they are paying for and have the ability to appeal charges if they disagree

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