Summary of the service charge account
You have a legal right to ask your landlord for a summary of the service charge account, under Section 21 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985.
Your request must be in writing. You can send it to the landlord or the managing agent.
You can ask for a summary of the costs relating to service charges for the last accounting year, or the past 12 months if accounts are not kept by accounting years.
The landlord must provide the summary within 1 month of your request, or within 6 months of the end of the 12 month accounting period, whichever is later.
The summary should include:
- how the costs relate to the service charge demand, or if they will be included in a later demand
- items the landlord received bills for, and whether these were paid during the accounting period
- whether any of the costs relate to work for which the landlord received an improvement grant, or will receive one
If the service charge must be paid by the leaseholders of more than 4 homes:
- the summary must be certified by a qualified accountant as a fair summary
- the landlord must give the accountant accounts, receipts and other documents to allow them to certify the summary
- the accountant must be independent of the landlord (but if the landlord is a local authority, one of their officers who is a qualified accountant may certify the summary)
Template letter
You can use our template letter to write to your landlord to ask for a summary of the service charge account.
Template letter to landlord: request a summary of service charge costs
Right to inspect accounts and receipts
After receiving a summary, you also have the right to inspect documents relating to the service charge, including accounts, receipts and other relevant documents.
You need to ask for this within 6 months of receiving a summary (either one that you formally requested, or one that was provided at the end of the year).
Your landlord must allow you to inspect these documents within 1 month of your request, and they must make them available for 2 months. They must allow you to make copies.
Template letter
You can use our template letter to write to your landlord to ask to inspect accounts and receipts.
Template letter to landlord: request to inspect supporting documents
If your landlord does not provide the information
If your landlord does not provide a summary of the service charge account or give you access to inspect accounts and receipts in time, and does not have a reasonable excuse, they are breaking the law. They could have to pay a fine of up to £2,500 (level 4) if they are convicted.
It’s best to try to resolve the problem informally first. There are steps you can take to resolve a dispute with a landlord or managing agent.
If raising the issue with your landlord does not work, your local housing authority has the power to start legal proceedings against the landlord, at the magistrates’ court. This would usually be through the Tenancy Relations Officer. You can contact your local housing authority to ask about this.
If the local authority does not take action, it’s possible to start legal proceedings yourself privately. But this is a serious step and a difficult process. We recommend you get advice from a solicitor if you’re considering this.
If your landlord is a local housing authority they are exempt from prosecution. Registered providers of social housing (housing associations) are not exempt.
Find out more from GOV.UK about private prosecutions
You could also consider whether you have a case to challenge the service charge at a tribunal, if you think it’s unreasonable. If your landlord is failing to provide information, this could be relevant evidence to support your case.
Do not withhold payment
Do not deliberately withhold service charge payments as a way of resolving the issue. Your landlord might take action against you for breaching your lease.
If your landlord is not providing the service charges information you’re entitled to, it’s best to pay the charge “under protest” while looking into your options, such as challenging the charge.
Other rights
Your other rights as a leaseholder to investigate service charges and how the building is managed include:
- Last updated:
- 14 October 2026
- Next review:
- 19 December 2027
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Topic - Building management