A member of the Neighbourhood watch CHAT has asked why Remus is requesting residents to pay a final balance of £2.29 for accounts in 2023.
Here’s What’s actually happening
- Remus (the managing agent) is sending out estate fee demands in advance (“anticipated” charges).
- They are doing this on behalf of the Management Company.
- However, the land hasn’t legally been transferred to that Management Company yet.
- On top of that, final accounts for 2022 and 2023 have only just been issued, which is quite late.
🤔 Why does this feel confusing (and slightly off)? There are two separate issues tangled together:
- Charging in advance (“anticipated” fees)
This part is actually quite normal in property management.
- You often pay estimated costs upfront (for maintenance, landscaping, etc.)
- Later, final accounts show what was actually spent
- Then you either:
- owe more, or
- Get a credit/refund
👉 So the concept of anticipated fees itself is not unusual.
- The land hasn’t been transferred yet
This is the part that raises eyebrows.
- Normally, the Management Company should own or control the land before charging residents for maintaining it.
- If the land is still owned by the developer, it creates a grey area:
- Who is legally responsible for the costs?
- On whose authority are fees being collected?
👉 So while payments may still be expected under your purchase agreement, it doesn’t feel transparent or properly aligned yet.
- Late final accounts (2022 & 2023)
This is another source of frustration:
- Final accounts are supposed to reconcile what you paid vs actual costs
- Getting them years late means:
- You couldn’t properly check if the charges were accurate
- Budgeting becomes difficult
- Trust in the process drops
👉 This delay is not ideal and is often considered a poor management practice.
💡 Simple way to think about it
You’re essentially being asked to:
“Pay estimated maintenance costs to a company that doesn’t yet officially control the land, and is only now being told what was actually spent in past years.”
That’s why it feels unclear because the legal structure and the financial process are out of sync.
“This document reflects our interpretation of the Transfer Deeds (TP1). It must not be copied, reproduced, or used in any publication without prior written permission from the author, which can be requested via email. This interpretation remains subject to review and confirmation by our conveyancing solicitor.”