If you’ve just opened an envelope and found a demand for £20,000, £35,000, or more towards your building’s major works, you’re probably experiencing a very specific combination of feelings: shock, confusion, and a creeping dread about whether you can afford it. We know that feeling — we’ve been there ourselves.
Before you do anything else — before you call your bank, before you resign yourself to paying it, before you dismiss the idea of challenging it because it seems too complicated — there are specific steps you should take. In order. Starting today.
Step 1: Do Not Pay Yet (If You Haven’t Already)
You have time. Service charges, including major works contributions, are typically demanded in advance of or alongside the works. You generally have a reasonable period to pay — check your lease for the specific terms, but 30-60 days from demand is common.
If payment is demanded in a shorter timeframe, check whether this is genuinely a contractual obligation or simply pressure. Managing agents often create urgency that isn’t legally required. You are entitled to review the charges before paying.
Importantly: not paying a disputed charge doesn’t automatically put you in breach of your lease. There is a legal distinction between disputed and undisputed charges. However, withholding payment carries risks — potential interest, legal costs, and forfeiture proceedings in extreme cases — so get professional advice before withholding entirely.
Step 2: Request Full Documentation
Under Section 21 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, you have the right to request a summary of the costs making up your service charge. Under Section 22, you can request to inspect the actual invoices, receipts, and accounts.
Write to your freeholder or managing agent immediately and request:
- A full breakdown of the major works costs by line item
- All quotes or tenders received during the Section 20 consultation
- The contractor’s invoice(s)
- Any project management or contract administration fee schedule
- Copies of both Section 20 notices (Notice of Intention and Notice of Proposal)
They have 21 days to provide the summary, and a further reasonable time to provide inspection access. Keep records of this request — if they fail to comply, that itself is relevant to any tribunal proceedings.
Step 3: Check the Section 20 Consultation Was Done Properly
Even with a bill this size sitting in front of you, many leaseholders don’t realise that if the Section 20 consultation wasn’t followed correctly, the freeholder’s ability to charge more than £250 per leaseholder may be restricted.
Check whether you received:
- A Notice of Intention — informing you of the proposed works and inviting contractor nominations
- A Notice of Proposal — presenting at least two contractor quotes with your right to make observations within 30 days
If either notice was missing or defective, that’s a significant procedural failure. The freeholder can seek dispensation from the First-tier Tribunal to proceed despite the failure, but they have to apply for it — and the tribunal takes into account any prejudice suffered by leaseholders.
Step 4: Get an Independent Professional Assessment
This is the most important step, and the one most leaseholders skip because they don’t know it exists. A qualified surveyor can review your bill line by line, compare every item against current UK market rates, and give you a professional opinion on whether the costs are reasonable.
This isn’t speculation — it’s evidence. And it’s the kind of evidence that works both in negotiations with your managing agent and, if it comes to it, at the First-tier Tribunal Property Chamber.
In our experience, 71% of the bills we review are overpriced. The average overcharge we find is £8,400. On a £20,000+ bill, the potential recovery makes a professional assessment an obvious investment.
Step 5: Write a Formal Challenge Letter
Armed with your documentation and independent assessment, write formally to your freeholder or managing agent setting out your challenge. Be specific: not “this seems expensive” but “the external painting has been quoted at £55/m², against the BCIS market rate of £28–£35/m², representing an excess of approximately £12,000.”
Reference the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and your right to apply to the First-tier Tribunal if the matter isn’t resolved. Many managing agents settle at this stage — they know their numbers won’t survive scrutiny at tribunal.
Step 6: If Necessary, Apply to the First-tier Tribunal
If your formal challenge is rejected, the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) is your next step. You do not need a solicitor. Application fees start from £100. The tribunal has wide powers to reduce or strike out service charges it finds unreasonable.
A tribunal-ready professional report makes your case significantly stronger, and often triggers a settlement offer before you even reach the hearing date.
What About the Funding Problem?
We hear this a lot: “I can’t afford to challenge it — I’m already struggling with the bill itself.” We understand. Our fixed-fee assessment is designed to be accessible: the cost is a fraction of what you could save, and we’re upfront about it before you commit.
If your bill is genuinely fair and well-priced, we’ll tell you that — and you can pay with confidence. If it isn’t, you’ll have professional evidence to push back with, and a realistic chance of recovering a significant sum.
Think your bill might be inflated? Get an independent assessment from Section20.org.uk — 48-hour turnaround, fixed fee. Email info@rapidqs.uk, WhatsApp us at +44 7438 628277 (5-minute response guaranteed), or fill in our contact form at section20.org.uk