Example Section 20 notices for public sector landlords

Example notice of reasons for entering into a long-term agreement

Please note: landlords must send a notice giving their reasons for entering into a long-term agreement to each tenant and the RTA (if there is one).

To: (name and correspondence address of tenant)

and (name of RTA)

We are giving this notice following the consultation with tenants on a notice of proposals to enter into a long-term agreement which we issued on (insert date of notice of proposals). The consultation period for the notice of proposals ended on (insert relevant date).
We have now entered into an agreement with (name of chosen contractor) to provide the goods/services/work (delete whichever does not apply) first described in the notice of intention dated (insert date of notice of intention).
Our reasons for doing so are (state reasons). (See Note 1 below.) Or You can inspect a statement of our reasons for entering into the agreement at (specify place and time for inspection). (See Notes 1 and 2 below.)
We did not receive any written observations on the notice of proposals which we gave on (insert date of notice of proposals) within the consultation period allowed for that notice. (See Note 3 below.)
Or
The written observations we received during the consultation period for the notice of proposals can be summarised as follows. (Insert summary of observations.) Our response to the observations is (state response). (See Note 3 below.)
Or
You can inspect a summary of the written observations we received during the consultation period, together with our response to them, at (specify place and time for inspection). (See Notes 2 and 3 below.)

Signed:

(Signature of the person giving the notice. If an agent signs, also add: ‘duly authorised agent of (name of landlord or manager)’.)

Address:

(Give the address which tenants should use for any future communications relating to the long-term agreement.)

Date:

Notes

Landlords do not need to send out this notice of reasons and summary of their responses to tenants’ observations (see Note 3 below) if the contractor they have chosen:
1. was nominated by a tenant or the RTA; or
2. is the person who submitted the lowest estimate.
If the notice says where and when tenants can inspect any written observations received during the consultation period, together with the landlord’s response to them:
1. the place and time must be reasonable; and
2. copies of the documents must be available for inspection, free of charge, at that place and during that time.
  If facilities to copy the documents are not made available at the times when tenants can inspect them, the landlord must provide a copy of the documents free of charge to any tenant who asks for one.
If a landlord has received written observations within the consultation period for a notice of proposals to enter into a long-term agreement, they must summarise the observations and respond to them within a notice of reasons for making the agreement or tell tenants where and when they can inspect the summary and response.