property management company service charges

[palmigiana]

My jurisdiction is: United Kingdom

 

[palmigiana]

The 5 of May 2009 I paid the services charges of my property management company (A) until March 2010 as requested by them. At the 22nd of May of the same month I received a letter from the new property management company (B) appointed by my landlord. In this letter I was told "please note that if you do make a payment to "A" this will not be recognised by our clients and you will still have to make payment to us and then obtain a refund of any overpayment direct from (a). We will of course invoice you ourselves for all future charges the become due in accordance with the terms of your lease...". As I said above by the time I received this letter I had already paid (A) on the 5 of May the service charges for the full year until March 2010. On the 1 Sept 09 I receive and invoice from the new company (B) to pay half yearly service charge in advance to them, covering the period Sept to March 2010. Am I obliged to make this payment to B if I already paid company A? I think is unfair since I received the letter after I made the payment and I was not aware until then my landlord had decided to change management company. Many thanks.