The service charges or owners' association bills seem wrong — who do I contact?
Service charges must be itemised and backed by invoices you are allowed to see, and only costs the law or your contract allows can be passed on. Ask for the full statement and the invoices in writing first — a surprising number of disputes end there. If you rent, ADIL — Agence départementale d'information sur le logement (anil.org) checks the statement and, in many countries, the tenancy body fixes the lawful amount. Owners in a building association contest decisions through Conciliateur de justice (conciliateurs.fr) first, then Tribunal judiciaire — juge des contentieux de la protection (justice.fr) within the short legal deadline.
🗣️ What to say
"I dispute the service charge statement of [date] for [address]. Please send the itemised breakdown and the underlying invoices for [items]. Until I have them I pay the undisputed part of [amount]. I reserve the right to contest [items] which are not chargeable under [contract / law]."
🪜 Step by step
- Ask for the invoicesYou are entitled to inspect them. Set a deadline of two to four weeks.
- Check what is chargeableRepairs and improvements are usually the landlord's, not the tenant's; management fees are capped in some countries.
- Pay the undisputed partAnd say so in writing — it prevents a default while you contest the rest.
- Tenant: ADIL — Agence départementale d'information sur le logementThe tenant organisation or tenancy body checks the statement and can set the lawful amount.
- Owner: Conciliateur de justice, then Tribunal judiciaire — juge des contentieux de la protectionMediation first; association decisions must be challenged in court within a short deadline, often one month from the meeting.
📇 All contacts
❓ Frequently asked
The statement came two years late
Late statements are often unenforceable for the excess — most countries set a deadline after the year end. ADIL — Agence départementale d'information sur le logement knows yours.
Can I withhold the whole amount?
No — pay what is clearly due and dispute the rest. Withholding everything risks default.
The association voted for expensive works I cannot afford
Decisions can be contested for procedure and for unreasonableness within the deadline; payment plans and hardship rules exist in most countries.
📎 Sources
- Conciliateur de justice →
- ADIL — Agence départementale d'information sur le logement →
- Tribunal judiciaire — juge des contentieux de la protection →
- Point-justice / aide juridictionnelle →
🔎 Common searches
Recognise your own search? The answer above covers all of these.
- “service charge dispute tenant France”
- “owners association decision contest deadline”
- “service charges what can landlord charge”
- “inspect invoices service charge”
- “building association bill too high”
🧭 Is this still correct?
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