Applying to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber)
Other costs of appearing before the tribunal
The tribunal may award costs in the following circumstances:
- wasted costs – a legal or other representative may have their costs disallowed or be ordered to pay all or part of any wasted costs. Wasted costs include any costs you have to pay because of the representative (or their employee) acting improperly, unreasonably or negligently, or failing to act
- if a person has acted unreasonably in bringing, defending or holding proceedings (for example, producing documents late without having a good reason and causing a hearing to be adjourned)
You can apply to the tribunal to award costs (you can do this by asking them at the hearing or you can apply in writing). Or the tribunal may decide to award costs without you applying for these.
When you apply for the tribunal to award costs you can provide a schedule of the costs you are claiming. You should give enough details for a summary assessment.
You can apply for an order to award costs at any time during the proceedings, but you must do this within 28 days after the date the tribunal sends you a notice of their decision or notice of permission to end the proceedings.
Costs can be decided in 3 ways.
- The tribunal can make a summary assessment.
- They can be agreed between the person paying the costs and the person receiving them.
- The tribunal can carry out a detailed assessment of all or part of the costs. The person paying the costs must have an opportunity to appeal, and they can be ordered to make a partial payment before an assessment is carried out. Interest will be added to the costs following a detailed assessment.
If the tribunal does not award costs, you and your landlord will each be responsible for paying your own costs. However, you should check your lease, as this might allow your landlord to recover their professional costs through the service charge or direct from you.
- Last updated:
- 11 May 2025
- Next review:
- 18 December 2026