Leasehold, flat new roof £32,000, have to pay in advance

That doesnt seem right to me. Shouldn't a Management fund be there for just such instances, what happens if a few people haven't the money?. It's put me right off getting a flat especially a top floor one.

I'm sure they were!

Quotes are absolutely essential and should have been forwarded to all leaseholders. Management duty. (as ex chairperson of a management company)

We do have such a fund here but it gets depleted from time to time and needs topped up. Defaulters/non payers is a potential problem. However, the work must be done and faffing about with lots of residents wanting to see and comment on quotes etc is a recipe for constant delays meanwhile the fabric of the building deteriorated. Leave the management to get on with the job they were appointed to do.

The management company has been negligent in not having a sinking fund. Sinking funds can be emptied by the management company

I would most definitely employ a solicitor, at the very least to read through the 3 quotes that you should have been shown

Ask also to see the accounts for the sinking fund

It is understandable that the money has to be `up-front`but worrying in case other leasehoders do default

In our block we pay upfront for the the same reasons your management fund gives you. My DH is chairman of the residents committee in charge of organising work currently needing done. It's not a scam. They just have to have the money to hand to pay the contractors. We really don't want to delay the work if the contractors walk off the site if they're concerned at non payment.

Also if you have a solicitor on your side if shows you are not an easy money source.

What are the other leaseholders saying about it? Have you talked to them?
Could you get together and have a surveyor give an estimate for the work to challenge their costing?
It sounds dodgy to me.