Service Charge Accountant (part-time)

Service Charge Accountant (part-time)

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Role purpose:

To prepare, manage, review, and reconcile residential service charge accounts for a portfolio of properties, ensuring compliance with lease requirements, statutory obligations, and ICAEW TECH 03/11 guidance. The role is responsible for maintaining accurate financial records, preparing annual service charge statements, reconciling service charge funds, and liaising with property managers, managing agents, landlords, and leaseholders to resolve queries and ensure accounts are completed accurately and on time. 

The role also involves reviewing financial transactions and supporting documentation to ensure service charge income and expenditure are correctly accounted for in accordance with lease provisions. Where required under the lease, the postholder will undertake the independent accountant’s review and issue the accountant’s certification, ensuring all work is completed in accordance with professional, regulatory, and ethical standards while delivering a high-quality service to clients. 

Key responsibilities:

• Prepare annual residential service charge accounts on an accrual’s basis in accordance with ICAEW TECH 03/11 guidance, lease requirements, and applicable statutory obligations. 
• Ensure all lessees paying variable service charges receive an annual service charge statement within six months of the end of the accounting period, meeting all relevant legal and regulatory deadlines. 
• Review service charge transactions, supporting documentation, and accounting records to ensure income and expenditure are accurately recorded, allocated, and reported in accordance with lease provisions. 
• Issue annual accountant’s reports or reports of factual findings, as required by the lease, tenancy agreement, or client instructions, ensuring compliance with professional and ethical standards. 
• Where required by the lease, prepare and issue separate certificates or signed declarations confirming the amount payable by individual lessees, using the precise wording and terminology stipulated within the lease documentation. 
• Certify Section 21 written summaries of relevant costs for qualifying properties containing more than four dwellings, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements. 
• Reconcile service charge income, expenditure, reserve funds, and balance sheet items across a portfolio of residential developments, investigating and resolving any discrepancies identified. 
• Liaise regularly with property managers, landlords, managing agents, residents’ management companies (RMCs), and other stakeholders to obtain information, resolve queries, and ensure the timely completion of accounts. 
• Respond to and manage leaseholder enquiries relating to service charge accounts, expenditure, balancing charges, and accounting treatments in a professional and customer-focused manner. 
• Support year-end accounting and audit processes by preparing working papers, maintaining accurate ledgers, and ensuring all records are complete and appropriately documented. 
• Maintain high standards of financial accuracy, data integrity, and compliance across all service charge accounting records and systems. 
• Communicate financial information clearly and effectively to both financial and non-financial stakeholders, providing explanations and guidance where required. 
• Identify opportunities to improve service charge accounting processes, controls, and efficiencies while maintaining compliance with professional standards and client requirements. 

Key skills:

• Demonstrable experience in residential service charge accounting, including the preparation and reconciliation of service charge accounts for a portfolio of residential properties. 
• Strong understanding of ICAEW TECH 03/11 Residential Service Charge Accounts guidance and its practical application in the preparation, review, and certification of service charge accounts. 
• Good working knowledge of relevant landlord and tenant legislation, including the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, service charge accounting requirements, leaseholder rights, and Section 20 consultation procedures. 
• Experience of interpreting lease provisions and applying them accurately when preparing service charge accounts and determining leaseholder liabilities. 
• Excellent attention to detail with a high degree of accuracy when reviewing financial information, identifying discrepancies, and ensuring compliance with professional and regulatory requirements. 
• Strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise workloads and manage multiple client portfolios, deadlines, and competing demands effectively. 
• Ability to analyse financial data and communicate complex accounting information clearly and professionally to both financial and non-financial stakeholders. 
• Proactive approach to problem-solving, with the ability to investigate queries, identify solutions, and build effective working relationships with clients, property managers, landlords, and residents’ management companies. 

Other requirements:

• Willingness to travel between sites 

Values and culture:

• Consistently uphold the Company’s values, ethical standards, and professional responsibilities. 
• Demonstrate a positive and proactive approach to teamwork and client service. 
• Lead by example in day-to-day work, showing integrity, accountability, and professionalism. 

What we offer:

We offer a range of benefits alongside a competitive salary and holiday package which will be discussed with you at your interview.

Job type: part-time (approx. 20 hours per week), permanent

Work location: Initially Daventry, but can be at another office

Benefits:

• 25* days+ BH FTE Annual Leave (Increasing with Service)​ with the option to buy a further 5 days leave per year
• A day off for your Birthday
• Group Life Cover (Death in Service Benefit) from day 1​
• Medical Cashback Scheme (fully funded by Cottons)
• Private Medical Insurance*​
• Annual Discretionary Bonus​ Scheme
• Flexible Working Hours*
• Contributory Pension​
• Wellbeing Support and EAP (including Mental Health First Aiders)
• Inclusive and Supportive Culture
• Subsidised Gym Membership​ (through Medical Cashback Scheme)
• Exclusive discounts, cashback, savings, and special offers from hundreds of well-known high street and online retailers via a dedicated employee reward app
• Career Growth and Development Opportunities
• Enhanced Company Sick Pay
• Fully Funded Professional Training​*
• Employee and Client Referral Bonus Scheme
• Regular Social Events​
• Free Parking at many of our office locations
• Branded clothing allowance

*Role Dependant

This job summary is intended as a guide to the duties of the post and is not exhaustive. All roles are subject to review and change to meet evolving business needs

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