Service Charge Specialist (Managing Agents)

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Title: Service Charge Specialist (Managing Agents)

Contract: 10-month Fixed Term Contract, Full Time

Salary: £40,649

Reporting Office: West Ham Lane in Stratford, London

Working Pattern: Agile/hybrid working- office based 20-40% (3-4 days working from home)

Role Profile.pdf

Closing date for completed applications: 5th August 2025 at 11.59pm Interviews will be held: 11th August 2025

Benefits include: Excellent pension plan (up to 6% double contribution), 28 days Annual Leave rising to 31 days with length of service + Bank Holidays, Westfield Health Cash Plan, non-contributory life assurance, up to 21 hours volunteering paid days, lifestyle benefits, Employee Assistance Programme and many more…

Early applications are encouraged as we reserve the right to close the advertisement and interview earlier than stated.

Join our Service Charge Team! This is an exciting opportunity to join L&Q’s Service Charge (Managing Agents) Team, supporting over 22,000 residents living in homes where services are provided by Managing Agents. As a Service Charge Specialist (Managing Agents), you will monitor the service charge expenditure and compliance activity undertaken by Managing Agents appointed by L&Q or superior landlords, ensuring fair, reasonable, and transparent charges for residents.

• Do you have a strong understanding of service charges, leasehold legislation, and financial administration?
• Are you confident in managing complex stakeholder relationships, challenging costs, and maintaining compliance across third-party managed estates?

If so, we’d love for you to bring your expertise and make a lasting impact in this dynamic role.

Your Impact in the Role:

• Managing Agent Relationship Management: Build and maintain effective working relationships with Managing Agents, ensuring that service charge expenditure is reasonable and that statutory compliance requirements are met.
• Service Charge Budgeting & Reconciliation: Set up, monitor, and reconcile accurate and complete service charge budgets and accounts for schemes managed by external agents.
• Resident Support & Communication: Help residents understand the relationships between L&Q, the superior landlord, and managing agents, providing clarity on service charges and service delivery.
• Compliance & Risk Management: Check compliance with legal agreements, leases, and management agreements. Challenge unreasonable charges and ensure that services being charged for are provided.
• Collaboration Across Teams: Work closely with internal stakeholders such as Neighbourhoods, Finance, and Legal teams to support service charge activities, budget forecasting, and First-Tier Tribunal (FTT) cases.

What You'll Bring:

• Service Charge and Leasehold Expertise: TPI and or RICS qualifications or relevant experience with a strong understanding of service charge processes, and ability to read, interpret, apply, and communicate title/ lease / Tenancy Agreement provisions in regards to the allocation of service charges to relevant audiences.
• Legislative & Regulatory Knowledge: Working Knowledge of relevant legislation, including the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (S18-30), Commonhold & Leasehold Reform Act 2002, and Leasehold & Freehold Reform Act 2024, as well as RICS and TPI guidelines, regulations and procedures.
• Financial and Analytical Skills: Good financial accounting knowledge (income / expenditure, VAT, accruals) with strong attention to detail and the ability to analyse service charge budgets, actual costs, and identify variances.
• Stakeholder Management: Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills to build and maintain good working relationships with external managing agents and collaborating effectively with internal teams.
• Effective Communicator: Ability to diplomatically resolve complaints and challenge unreasonable costs, finding solutions that balance resident satisfaction and financial accountability.
• Technical Proficiency: Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel, including V-Lookups, macros and pivots, and adaptability to learn new systems.

About L&Q:

We’re one of the UK’s leading housing associations and developers. We were founded on a simple belief: high quality housing is vital for people’s health, happiness and security. Everyone deserves a quality home that gives them the chance to live a better life.

250,000 people call our properties ‘home’, and we’re proud to serve diverse communities across London, the South East and North West of England. At L&Q, people are at the heart of our business and our success depends on employing the best people and getting the best from them. The foundation of everything that we are is built on our corporate values and behavioural framework, which outlines our core expectations and should be demonstrated at all times, and all levels, when representing L&Q.

L&Q strongly believe a diverse and inclusive workforce is important, and inclusion is part of our core values and everyday working practices. We make hiring decisions based on your experiences, skills and merits and we are recognised externally for our commitment to inclusion. We are a Stonewall Diversity Champion, a Disability Confident (Committed) employer and have signed the Time to Change Employer Pledge to demonstrate our commitment to end mental health discrimination in the workplace. Click here to read more.

If you require any reasonable adjustments at any stage during this process, including application stage, please email lqcareers@lqgroup.org.uk

At L&Q, sustainability is at the heart of what we do. We recognise the responsibility we hold as one of the UK’s largest housing associations.

Click here to find out more about L&Q and why you should join us!