What Factors Can and Cannot Charge For
A factor cannot simply issue a charge and expect homeowners to treat it as automatically valid. Charges should have a proper basis. They should relate to real responsibilities, real works, and clear authority — not assumption, convenience, or vague explanation.
Charges may need more than a simple label
A short description on an invoice is not always enough. Homeowners may need to understand the underlying detail, particularly where the sums are large, the wording is vague, or the work appears to relate to other buildings, wider estate costs, or disputed services.
Charges that may be easier to justify
Some costs may be more straightforward where they are clearly tied to genuine shared obligations and properly explained.
- Routine management charges that are clearly set out and consistently applied
- Repairs to common parts you are actually responsible for
- Maintenance costs supported by invoices, schedules, or contractor evidence
- Insurance charges that match the actual legal structure of ownership and liability
Charges that may require closer scrutiny
Some categories of billing should immediately prompt questions, especially where the legal basis is unclear.
- Costs for buildings, roofs, machinery, or repairs outside your own block or title responsibility
- Estate-wide charging where liability may be block-specific
- Vague “common repairs” or “miscellaneous” sums with little detail
- Repeated contractor charges, unexplained uplifts, or costs that appear duplicated
Questions every homeowner should ask
You do not need to accuse anyone of wrongdoing in order to ask proper questions. Calm, practical questions are often the right starting point.
Warning signs that something may be wrong
Be especially cautious where you see:
- large charges with little or no explanation
- billing that appears to cover other blocks or wider estate works without clear authority
- invoices that refer to repairs or assets you do not believe form part of your responsibility
- refusal, delay, or evasion when you ask for supporting documents
- pressure to pay first and ask questions later, despite obvious uncertainty
- shifting explanations about why a charge is said to be valid
Practical next steps
If something looks wrong, start by building a clear written record. Keep the tone measured. Ask focused questions. Save every response.
1. Ask for clarity in writing
Request a clear explanation of the charge, the work it relates to, the property said to be affected, and the basis on which you are said to be liable.
2. Ask for supporting records
Request invoices, contractor details, schedules of work, apportionment calculations, and any documents said to justify the sum.
3. Check your title deeds
Compare the charge against what your deeds appear to say about ownership, repair burdens, common parts, and insurance responsibility.
4. Build a paper trail
Keep copies of bills, letters, emails, photos, and timelines. Good records can become vital if the dispute later escalates.
Charges should be clear, justified, and connected to real responsibility
Rage Against Factors exists to help homeowners question unclear billing, understand what may matter legally, and stand together where patterns of unfair charging are affecting communities across Scotland.