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Example Section 20 notices for public sector landlords

Example notice of intention to carry out work under a long-term agreement

In this guide

Please note: landlords must send a notice of the intention to carry out work under 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)

  1. We (insert name of landlord or manager) intend to carry out work under an existing long-term agreement which we previously consulted tenants on [or an agreement we entered into before 31 October 2003] with (insert name of contractor). We must consult you about this work under section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. (See Note 1 below.)
  2. The work to be carried out under the agreement is as follows. (Insert a description of the proposed work.)
    Or
    You can inspect a description of the work to be carried out under the agreement at (insert place and time for inspection). (See Note 2 below.)
  3. We consider it necessary to carry out the work because (insert a statement of your reasons).
  4. We estimate the total cost of the proposed work is likely to be (insert estimated figure).
  5. We invite you to make written observations on the proposed work or the estimated cost by sending them to (address of landlord or manager). We must receive your observations within the consultation period of 30 days from the date of this notice. The consultation period will end on (insert date of not less than 30 days from the date the notice is given to the recipient). (See Note 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 future communications relating to the proposed work.)

Date:

Notes

  1. Under section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (as amended) (‘the 1985 act’), landlords (as defined by section 30 of the 1985 act) must consult tenants whose leases say they must pay service charges to contribute to the costs of qualifying work, if the contribution of any one tenant would be more than £250. ‘Qualifying work’ is defined by section 20ZA of the 1985 act.
  2. If a notice says where and when tenants can inspect documents relating to the work:
    1. the place and time must be reasonable; and
    2. a description of the proposed work 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 the description, the landlord must provide a copy of the description free of charge to any tenant who asks for one.
  3. The landlord has a duty to have regard to written observations made within the consultation period by any tenant or RTA (as defined by section 29 of the 1985 act). The landlord must send a written response to the person who made written observations within the consultation period, within 21 days of receiving them.
Last updated:
22 September 2022
Next review:
19 December 2026