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Paying for repairs and maintenance: the basics

If you own a leasehold property, you usually have to pay a service charge towards the cost of maintaining or running the property. For example, for repairs and improvements or services and goods like lift maintenance, cleaning and gardening.

• Service charges and other expenses for leaseholders

Leaseholder rights

Your landlord (or their managing agent) should consult you if you're expected to pay more than:

• £250 for building work, known as ‘qualifying works’
• £100 a year for services or goods lasting more than 12 months, known as ‘qualifying long-term agreements’

There are steps landlords need to follow when they consult you, known as a ‘Section 20' consultation. These steps makes sure you can:

• suggest contractors (businesses) to do the work or provide the service
• comment on any works or services – for example, ask why they are needed
• see information about the costs – for example, the estimates (quotes) the landlord received to do the work

If the landlord hasn’t consulted you and you receive a bill for the works or services, you won’t have to pay more than:

• £250 towards the building work
• £100 per year towards the services or goods

Is a consultation always needed?

There are times when your landlord doesn’t have to consult you, for example, if a safety issue needs to be fixed immediately. They need to get permission not to consult you from the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal. This is an independent legal body that can settle certain types of leasehold dispute.

Download the guide ‘Section 20 consultations’ for more detail about these exceptions.

• Leasehold Valuation Tribunals - information from Ministry of Justice Opens new window

• Download 'Section 20 consultations for leaseholders - a guide' (PDF, 200K) Opens new window

• Help with PDF files

If you’re not happy with the costs

If you don’t pay a charge you’re responsible for, your landlord might take you to court to recover the money. To settle the dispute, you could:

• speak to your landlord
  
• use an independent mediator
  
• appeal to the LVT

You can appeal to the LVT about the reasonableness of a charge, the standard of work it relates to and your ‘liability’ (if you should be paying it at all). The LVT can:

• stop the charge
  
• decide how much you have to pay
  
• change the lease – for example, how a charge is worked out or what insurance provider you have to use
  

You can’t appeal to the LVT if you’ve agreed to pay the charge or the dispute has already been dealt with, for example, by the court.

• Leasehold Valuation Tribunals - information from Ministry of Justice Opens new window

Consultation steps landlords need to take

It can take a number of months to complete a consultation. The basic steps are shown below. Download the guide ‘Section 20 consultations’ for more detail, for example, when the landlord has to get an estimate from a contractor you suggested.

Step one

The landlord will tell you about the works or services and why they are needed. This is called a ‘Notice of Intention’.

You have 30 days to write to your landlord with any comments on this and/or suggest contractors.

Step two

The landlord will send you a ‘Notice of Estimates’. This document should:

• include at least two estimates
• include a summary of any comments from step one and the landlord’s response to them

You have 30 days to write to your landlord with any comments on this. You can also ask to see all the estimates (there is no cost for this service).

Step three

The landlord will send you a ‘Notice of Award’ 21 days after the contract has been awarded. This document should:

• confirm who will be doing the work or providing the service
• include reasons for the landlord’s decision – for example, it might not be the contractor with the lowest estimate
• include a summary of any comments from step two and the landlord’s response to them

If the landlord is using the contractor with the lowest estimate or one that you’ve suggested, they don’t have to send a Notice of Award.

• Download 'Section 20 consultations for leaseholders - a guide' (PDF, 200K) Opens new window

• Help with PDF files

Getting help and advice

For free help and advice about Section 20 consultations or service charges contact the Leasehold Advisory Service or Citizens Advice. A solicitor can help, but they might charge a fee.

• Find a solicitor or advice agency

• Leasehold Advisory Service - online enquiry form

• Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE)