Section 20 consultation software
A late or incomplete Section 20 consultation can cap what you recover at £250 per leaseholder, however large the works. Freeholdr keeps each one on its dates and keeps the record of what was done.
When a consultation is needed in England
- Qualifying works: when any one leaseholder would contribute more than £250.
- Long-term agreements of more than 12 months: when any one leaseholder would contribute more than £100 in an accounting period.
These come from section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Service Charges (Consultation Requirements) (England) Regulations 2003. They are the figures as at November 2026. Leasehold reform is under way, so check the current position before relying on them.
How Freeholdr runs one
- Checks each home’s share against £250 using the block’s apportionment, and counts related works orders.
- Prepares the notice of intention, statement of estimates and notice of reasons from fixed templates.
- Works out notice dates, allowing for service by post and UK bank holidays.
- Records observations, nominations and estimates, and shows whose estimate has to be sought.
- Flags when a notice of reasons is due, and when a late notice means taking advice about dispensation.
- Holds every notice for a second person to approve.
What it covers today
Consultations under Schedule 4 Part 2 of the 2003 Regulations: qualifying works with no long-term agreement. The contracts register tests each contract for a long-term agreement and will not let one go live without a completed consultation, a dispensation or recorded legal advice. It does not cover Wales, and it is not legal advice: the rule library has not yet been signed off by a qualified legal reviewer.
Questions
- What happens if a Section 20 consultation goes wrong?
- Recovery can be capped at £250 per leaseholder for works, or £100 per leaseholder per accounting period for a long-term agreement, unless the First-tier Tribunal grants dispensation. Take legal advice if this applies to you.
- Can AI send a Section 20 notice?
- Not in Freeholdr. Fixed rules work out the dates and thresholds, and a person approves every notice before it goes.