Think of service charge when buying a house

It is every family’s dream to own a house one day, hence the toil of lifetime savings. Owning that house with high speed lifts, uninterrupted borehole water supply, heated swimming pool, fully equipped gym and a backup generator for all areas. Name it. I call it the nebulous, fanatical concept of an amateur buyer. But do you pause to think of what it takes to maintain these fantasies?

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Code of Practice document service charges quite simply: “Service charges enable an owner/management to recover costs of servicing and operating a property from the occupiers, as well as any others who benefit from and use the services and facilities provided.” It is a charge made to recover costs incurred in providing services to premises.