Section 20 Consultation Support
End-to-end Section 20 consultation and major works support for RTM companies, Share of Freehold companies and freeholders across Greater London and Essex. Tribunal-ready documentation, transparent estimates and no commissions on contractors.
Section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (as amended by the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002) requires the landlord under the lease to consult leaseholders before carrying out qualifying works or entering into a qualifying long-term agreement. The detailed procedure is set out in the Service Charges (Consultation Requirements) (England) Regulations 2003.
"Landlord" here means whoever is entitled to demand the service charge - the freeholder, the RTM company or the resident management company. A managing agent administers the consultation, but the legal duty, and the consequence of a failed consultation, stays with that entity.
If consultation is not carried out properly, the amount recoverable through the service charge is limited to £250 per leaseholder for the works, or £100 per leaseholder per year for a long-term agreement - even if the actual cost is far higher. The shortfall does not disappear; it falls on the landlord entity. The First-tier Tribunal can dispense with the requirements under section 20ZA where leaseholders have not suffered relevant prejudice, usually on conditions.
Read our background articles: Section 20 Notices Explained, does Section 20 apply to professional fees? and all Section 20 articles.
We run the consultation as a single tracked project. Each stage has a documented deadline, every leaseholder observation is logged with a written response, and the director recommendation is supported by an estimate comparison and a written rationale. Records are retained for tribunal evidence should they ever be needed.
Stage 1 - Notice of Intention. Issued to every leaseholder who may be charged and to any recognised tenants' association. It describes the proposed works or agreement and the reasons for them, and invites written observations and contractor nominations within 30 days. The landlord must have regard to the observations received.
Stage 2 - Statement of Estimates. At least two estimates are obtained, at least one from a person wholly unconnected with the landlord, and the landlord must try to obtain an estimate from any contractor leaseholders have nominated. The estimates, a summary of the observations and the landlord's response to them are made available, and a further 30-day period runs.
Stage 3 - Notice of Reasons. If the contract is awarded to a contractor who is neither the lowest estimate nor a leaseholder nominee, written reasons must be given within 21 days of entering into the contract. No notice is required if the lowest or a nominated contractor is chosen.
A qualifying long-term agreement follows a two-stage process instead: Notice of Intention, then Notice of Proposals. Where the value requires public notice, an additional stage applies.
For larger projects we work alongside chartered surveyors who prepare a detailed specification before tender. This protects the block from variable scopes and inflated final accounts, and gives leaseholders confidence that the price is genuinely competitive. We have established relationships with surveyors and contractors across East London and Essex.
Beyond the statutory consultation, we project-manage the works themselves: contract administration, valuations, snagging, retention release and final account agreement. Directors get regular progress reports; leaseholders get clear notice of any access requirements and start/finish dates.
We provide Section 20 consultation support to:
Cross-references: RTM Company Management East London, Share of Freehold Management, Block Management East London.
For blocks we manage, administering a Section 20 consultation is charged on a tiered basis so the fee stays proportionate to the size of the project. There is no VAT to add and we take no commission from contractors, surveyors or consultants.
| Value of works | Administration fee |
|---|---|
| Works up to £5,000 | £500 |
| Works between £5,001 and £15,000 | £750 |
| Works between £15,001 and £30,000 | £1,000 |
| Works above £30,000 | £1,500 |
These are our fee bands, not statutory thresholds. Whether consultation is legally required depends on the statutory rules and on each leaseholder's individual contribution, not on the value of the works in this table.
What the fee covers: preparing and issuing the statutory notices, managing the consultation timetable, recording and responding to leaseholder observations, administering the estimates stage, keeping directors informed and maintaining the consultation records.
What it does not cover: surveyor, engineer, architect or project-manager fees, technical specifications, legal advice, tribunal or dispensation applications, specialist fire or building-safety advice, contract administration and professional supervision of the works. These are quoted and agreed separately.
For one-off support to self-managed blocks, or blocks managed by another agent, we agree a fixed project fee in writing before any work starts. Fees for blocks we manage are set out in full on our block management pricing page.
This page is general information about the consultation process, not legal advice. Whether a particular cost is recoverable depends on the terms of your lease and the facts of your case.
Whether you are mid-process and stuck, or planning major works from scratch, we can run the consultation on a fixed-fee project basis.
Practical guides and legal updates our team has written on this area:
Guidance for RTM Companies, RMCs and Freeholders on whether surveyors, engineers, architects and project managers count as qualifying expenditure and require Section 20 consultation.
Read the guide Service ChargesThe Section 20 process end to end - the £250 and £100 thresholds, the three consultation stages, and how to make effective written observations.
Read the guide Building SafetyTribunal guidance confirms that making a building safe under the Building Safety Act may involve more than replacing the visible external cladding, with implications for RTM Companies, RMCs and leaseholders.
Read the guide