Freeholder Extortionate Penalties for late payment of Service Charges

Other

I owns 2 properties in the same mansion block managed by Countrywide.

Having paid a Service Charge demand 5 weeks late over the summer period I have been charged £144 admin charges (levied on the day service charge fell due), £198 solicitors referral fee (2 weeks later) and £300 for a solicitors letter (one month later) - a total of £642.

One Service Charge was for £307.67, the other for only £28.82 (I had paid an early part payment).

They state they have "followed procedures" and therefore will not cancel any charge.

These charges seem wholly disproportionate to the "debt" and have no relation to the actual cost they must have been put to due to the late payment.

As I accept the payments were late by the terms of the lease, and they have followed a 3 stage procedure of "reminders", do you think I still have grounds to take them to the Leasehold Tribunal to pay a fair late payment charge?

Regards

RB