Residential Property Tribunal Service

If you are unhappy with any of the charges the Royal Borough of Greenwich asks you to pay as a requirement of your lease, you can take the matter to the Residential Property Tribunal Service (Gov.UK website).

The tribunal is an independent and impartial panel which will decide whether the charges are reasonable.

What can tribunals help with?

The Residential Property Tribunal Service can deal with the following issues:

  • buying the freehold of your property
  • service charges, either annual charges or for major works
  • insurance
  • consultations about major works.

What happens?

The panel will listen to both parties involved in the dispute. On the basis of the evidence presented, they will then make a decision. The decision will be issued in writing as soon as possible after the hearing. Their decision is binding. You do not need to have legal representation and evidence is not given on oath.

Who is on the tribunal panel?

The tribunal will consist of three people. It will be headed by a chairperson who is usually a lawyer or a valuer. He or she will be responsible for the smooth running of proceedings and will write up the decision made by the tribunal with the reasons why the decision was made.

The other panel members may by lawyers, valuers or lay people.

Further information

You can get further advice from the Leaseholder Advisory Service (LEASE). This is an independent agency which provides free legal advice to leaseholders.