Types of application to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber)
When you can apply to the tribunal
You can make a variety of applications to the First-tier Tribunal (property chamber).
Leasehold Reform Act 1967
Under the Leasehold Reform Act 1967 you can apply for a decision on:
- how much you should pay to buy the freehold of a leasehold house (known as enfranchising) and the conditions that should apply to the purchase
- the conditions that will apply when the lease of a leasehold house is extended
- whether your landlord’s costs, which you have to pay, are reasonable
Landlord and Tenant Act 1985
Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, you can apply for a decision:
- on whether any service charges are reasonable and whether you are responsible for paying them
- on whether the insurance that is available through your landlord’s nominated or approved insurer is unsatisfactory in any way, or the price you have to pay for the insurance is too high (if your lease says you must insure your home with your landlord’s nominated or approved insurer)
- to limit the amount of your landlord’s costs during the tribunal proceedings which you have to pay for as a service charge
- to allow a landlord not to follow consultation procedures for certain work or qualifying long-term agreements
Landlord and Tenant Act 1987
Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987, you can apply to the tribunal:
- to appoint a manager
- to change the conditions of leases (mainly those relating to flats)
- to decide the purchase price following an acquisition order
- in limited circumstances, to decide the price for buying a freehold under the right of first refusal
Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993
Under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993, you can apply to the tribunal for a decision on:
- the conditions that will apply and the price to pay when you and the other leaseholders in the block together buy the freehold of a block of flats (known as enfranchising)
- the conditions that will apply and the price to pay when extending the lease of a flat
- whether your landlord’s costs, which you have to pay, are reasonable
Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002
Under the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002, you can apply to the tribunal for:
- a decision on whether any administration charges are reasonable and whether you are responsible for paying them
- a decision on whether any estate management charges are reasonable and whether you are responsible for paying them
Under the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 you can also apply to the tribunal for a range of decisions under the right to manage (including if you cannot trace your landlord). The decisions you can apply for include:
- the amount of any ‘accrued uncommitted service charges’ your landlord, any manager and anyone else involved must pay to the RTM company
- whether any approval under the lease can be granted by a RTM company
- whether it is reasonable to enforce the four-year rule before another RTM company can take over in the block after the previous one has lost the right to manage
- Last updated:
- 11 May 2025
- Next review:
- 18 December 2026