Problem solving in service charges

We know that data is a problem in the sector and that poor organisational data shows itself up in service charges in many ways. We also know that the nuances of service charging are rarely served well by the major housing management systems.

So, is it a lost cause? Of course not.

As service charge practitioners, it's our duty to do everything we can to get service charges right, both for the sake of the customer, and the organisation. While service charge systems can help, there are lower tech options available.

Here's a couple of things I used to do

Once accounts are completed, if you have a team of more than one, rotate those accounts to another person. The numbers we look at every day make us blind to even obvious problems that someone else may pick up.

Share accounts with those who manage the developments. It's so obvious, yet in the rush to get things out the door, this often doesn't happen. Make sure they reach the hands of those who see the actual buildings and will be able to spot those rogue charges.

If you make a mistake, make a note. I used to have a physical paper file in the office where we would put notes on all our developments and their nuances, and we'd check it every year to make sure we didn't repeat mistakes. It was there for anyone to see, so if someone left, that information didn't leave with them. Now, I advise teams to use things like Teams or Sharepoint to achieve the same thing where systems find it hard to store such information.

Complicated problems don't always require complicated solutions, and we shouldn’t let a lack of perfect solutions get in the way of having a good, low tech one.

🎶 Oh baby baby, how was I supposed to know? 🎶