Service charge questions that show what residents think they pay for
Ask residents how clear the service charge is, what it pays for and where they would spend the budget. Each question below comes with when to ask it and what the answer tells you.
What service charge survey questions tell you
Service charge survey questions ask the residents of a building how they see the charge they pay for cleaning, gardens, security and repairs to shared parts: whether the statement is clear, whether the charge feels fair for what they get and where they want the money spent. Disputes over service charges usually start with a statement nobody understood, long before anyone questions the figure itself.
Ask when the yearly statement goes out and again before the next budget is set, by email or with a QR code in the lobby. Pick five or six questions: the clarity rating, value for money, the grid and one open question, plus the budget questions when the budget is being planned.
Each written answer gets a category, a theme and a sentiment, and each response an urgency. Read the answers about charges residents want explained before you write the next statement, and answer the common ones in a note that goes with it.
- Questions
- 13
- Best asked
- When the yearly statement goes out
- Industry
- Real estate
- Where to find them
- From library in the Usertick survey editor, on every plan
The 13 service charges questions, with when to ask each
Grouped by what they tell you. Use them as they are or change the wording.
How clear the charge is
Ask whether residents can read the statement and see where the money went, the source of most service charge disputes.
- 01Stars
How clear is your service charge statement?
A star rating for how clear the statement is. Ask it first, and when the share who rated 4 or higher rises after you change the statement, you know the change worked.
- 07Customer effort
How easy is it to see what the money was spent on?
A customer effort score for seeing what the money was spent on. A low score points at the statement or at how the accounts are shared, before anyone questions the figure.
- 04Yes / No
Were you told before the charge went up?
A plain yes or no on whether residents heard about an increase before it arrived. A No here tends to drive complaints more than the size of the increase itself.
- 05Text
Which charge on the statement do you want explained?
Lets residents name the charge they want explained. Each answer gets a theme, so the lines most residents ask about can get a plain explanation on the next statement.
Whether it feels fair
These show what residents think they get for the charge, line by line.
- 02Multiple choice
How does the service charge compare with what you get?
How the charge compares with what residents get, from far too high to far too low. Results shows a donut with each share; select Far too high to read what those residents wrote.
- 09Slider
How much of your service charge feels like good value?
How much of the charge feels like good value, on a slider from 0 to 100. Results shows the median and the middle half, a single figure to follow year over year.
- 03Matrix
Rate what the service charge pays for
Rates cleaning, gardens, security and repairs to shared parts in one grid. The heat map shows which service residents feel they pay for and don't get.
- 08Text
What do you pay for that the building does not seem to get?
An open question about what residents pay for and don't see. Each answer gets a theme and a type, so complaints about a missed service reach the contractor's manager.
Where the money should go
Ask these before the next budget is set, so residents see their priorities in it.
- 06Multiple choice
What would you rather the budget went to?
Lets residents pick where they would rather the budget went, including lower charges. Results shows bars with each share, a clear input before the budget meeting.
- 12Ranking
Rank what the building needs spending on first
Residents put repairs, cleaning, security, energy savings and shared spaces in order. Results shows the average place per item, which gives the budget a clear order of priorities.
- 11Yes / No
Do owners here get a say in the budget?
Asks whether owners feel they have a say in the budget. A low share of Yes is a reason to share the draft budget and invite comments before it is set.
How residents pay
The payment schedule and the yearly amount let you compare answers across buildings and between owners and renters.
- 10Dropdown
How do you pay the service charge?
How the resident pays, from monthly to once a year or as part of the rent. Choose It is part of my rent in Results to see how renters' answers differ from owners'.
- 13Number
How much is your service charge each year?
The yearly charge the resident pays. Results shows the median and the middle half, which lets you read the answers on value next to what residents actually pay.
Tips for asking about service charges
Small choices that get honest, useful answers.
- 01
Ask when the statement arrives
Send the survey with or just after the yearly statement, while residents have the figures in front of them.
- 02
Explain the common questions
Read the charges residents want explained, and answer the ones that repeat in a short note with the next statement.
- 03
Ask before the budget is set
Run the budget and ranking questions a month or two before the budget meeting, so the answers can still shape it.
- 04
Reach residents in the building
Put the survey's QR code in the lobby and by the mailboxes, and send it by email to the residents on your contact list.
Add these questions to a survey
From the library to the first answers.
- 1
Open the library
In the Usertick survey editor, choose From library, filter by industry and topic, and add several questions at once.
- 2
Or paste your own list
Paste questions reads up to 10 questions from any text on Free, 100 on Starter and 200 on Pro and above, keeps your wording and picks an answer type for each.
- 3
Choose where it runs
Show the survey on your website, send it by email, share its link and QR code, or switch it to a conversation.
- 4
Read the answers
Results counts every score and choice, and Usertick reads each written answer and files it by topic, on every plan.
Templates and more questions about service charges
Full surveys that ask about the same things, and neighboring topics in the library.
Templates
Browse all templatesFrequently asked questions
When the yearly statement goes out, and again before the next budget is set. Usertick sends to a contact list now or on a date up to 30 days ahead.
Yes. The payment question includes It is part of my rent, and selecting it in Results filters the page to renters, so you can read the two groups apart.
The clarity rating, how the charge compares with what residents get and the question about charges they want explained.
Five or six for the statement survey. Add the budget and ranking questions only in the round before the budget is set.
Yes. The question library comes with every plan, the free plan included, and the free plan covers 150 responses a month across your surveys.
Yes. Once a question is in your survey, reword it, change its options or its answer type, and add logic to skip it for some answers.
Yes. The library is translated into Usertick's built-in languages, and in any other language it shows in English for you to translate.
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