What is Section 20?
Section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 requires landlords to consult leaseholders before carrying out qualifying works or entering into qualifying long-term agreements where the leaseholder's contribution will exceed £250.
If your landlord fails to follow the Section 20 consultation process correctly, your liability for the works may be capped at £250 per leaseholder — regardless of the actual cost.
This is one of the most powerful protections available to UK leaseholders, and many landlords and managing agents fail to follow it correctly.
When Does Section 20 Apply?
Qualifying Works
Any works to a building or its common parts where any leaseholder's contribution will exceed £250. Examples include:
- Roof replacement or major repairs
- External decoration and painting
- Lift replacement or major overhaul
- Structural repairs
- Window replacement
- Boiler or communal heating replacement
Qualifying Long-Term Agreements
Contracts lasting more than 12 months where any leaseholder's contribution will exceed £100 per year. This includes:
- Building insurance contracts
- Cleaning or maintenance contracts
- Estate management agreements
The 3-Stage Consultation Process
Stage 1: Notice of Intention
Your landlord must serve a written notice describing the proposed works and inviting observations. You have 30 days to respond.
Stage 2: Notice of Estimates
Your landlord must obtain at least two estimates and provide them to you, again inviting observations within 30 days.
Stage 3: (Sometimes Required) Notice of Award
If the contract is not awarded to the cheapest contractor, or if a leaseholder-nominated contractor was not chosen, a further notice may be required.
⚠️ Common failures: Many landlords skip stages, don't allow the full 30-day observation period, fail to consider nominees, or don't provide proper written notices. Any of these failures can limit your liability to £250.
Red Flags in Your Service Charge
Look out for these warning signs that Section 20 may not have been followed:
- A large one-off "major works" charge appearing without prior notice
- Works billed at significantly above market rates
- Charges for works you weren't aware were being carried out
- No record of receiving a Notice of Intention or Notice of Estimates
- Works completed before you had chance to comment
Check If Your Charges Are Reasonable
Upload your service charge demand and our AI will flag potential Section 20 issues, compare your charges to UK benchmarks, and generate a dispute letter — free to start.
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What Can You Do If Section 20 Wasn't Followed?
- Write to your managing agent requesting evidence of Section 20 compliance (consultation notices, estimates, observation responses)
- Apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) — no solicitor required, free to apply
- Contact LEASE (Leasehold Advisory Service) for free advice: lease-advice.org
- Consider a collective challenge with other leaseholders in your building
Note: LeaseAudit provides informational analysis only, not legal advice. For formal legal assistance, consult a solicitor or LEASE.