Residents make golden discovery with a little help from CEM

The residents of a block of flats in Bayswater are celebrating the successful recovery of commercial rates amounting to a staggering £86,414.80. County Estate Management (CEM) was appointed as the managing agent of the building in July 2004. Having reviewed the budgets and expenditure, CEM queried with the residents why commercial rates were being applied and paid for in respect of the health club situated at 50 Kensington Garden Square (50 KGS). In conjunction with Nick Clabbon and Company, a specialist firm of surveyors, CEM made a successful appeal on behalf of the residents against the local authority for the recovery of the incorrect charges applied over a five-year period.

Laurence Freilich, property manager of the building explained: “The lease clearly states that the Health Club at 50 KGS is specifically for the use of lessees and residents only and not the general public. That meant that commercial rates were being incorrectly applied. Westminster Council took the property of the Business Rates Register. The process took almost two years but we are now working with the residents to invest the funds back into the property.”