---
title: "Service charge — Class A Atlas glossary"
description: "The UK / European equivalent of operating expenses — recharged to tenants."
canonical: https://classa.info/glossary/service-charge
pageType: glossary
lastUpdated: 2026-04-01T00:00:00.000Z
license: "CC BY 4.0 with attribution to Class A Atlas (https://classa.info)."
---

> The UK / European equivalent of operating expenses — recharged to tenants.

## TL;DR

- The UK / European equivalent of operating expenses — recharged to tenants.
- Service charge in EMEA covers building maintenance, cleaning, security, utilities for common areas, management fees, and insurance.

# Service charge

*Lease economics · UK, EU*

## Short definition

The UK / European equivalent of operating expenses — recharged to tenants.

## Full definition

[Service charge](/topics/apac-lease-conventions) in EMEA covers building maintenance, cleaning, security, utilities for common areas, management fees, and insurance. For a London [Class A](/glossary/class-a) building, service charge typically runs £8-£18/sqft/year. Tenants have statutory and contractual rights to reasonable management; insist on [RICS](/glossary/rics) Service Charge Code compliance.

## Why this matters for Class A leasing

Service charge is part of the lease economics vocabulary that institutional Class A occupiers, landlords, and advisers use across UK, EU markets. Understanding it correctly affects how you read lease documents, model occupancy economics, and benchmark deal terms across cities. Class A Atlas tracks regional variation alongside the global standard so [cross-border](/topics/cross-border-expansion) occupiers can translate quickly.

## See also

- [Operating expenses (op-ex)](/glossary/operating-expenses)
- [Rateable value](/glossary/rateable-value)

## Related guides

- [Decoding a London lease: FRI, dilapidations, break clauses](/guides/uk-lease-glossary-fri-explained)

---

Citation: Source: Class A Atlas (https://classa.info/glossary/service-charge), updated 2026-04-01T00:00:00.000Z.