Property fees

I share Alan Simpson's anger over excessive administration fees demanded by property management companies (see [2001] Gazette, 23 August, 16).I have just completed the purchase of a leasehold property in Liverpool and was informed by the management company that its fee for the privilege of informing me of the amount of any outstanding ground rent due would be 55 plus VAT.Readers might be interested in the detailed work the management company proposed to do, which was: 'Informing you of any amounts due, accounting for any amount thereafter received, producing the receipt, confirming there are no arrears, studying all correspondence and studying the file in general, reporting to you on any matters raised in your letter other than those mentioned hereunder, communicating with you and sending documentation by post and facsimile transmission.

This is a requirement of the Council of Mortgage Handbook, clause 5.10.8.'This reminds me of the bill solicitors sometimes sent stating 'to crossing the road to see if it was you to wish you a good day and then realising that it was not you - 10'.Needless to say my answer to that management company was succinct and to the point but could in fact have been contained in two unprintable words.Peter Gildener, Solicitor, Penzance, Cornwall