Service Charge Guide
Stage2of 5

Prepare and apply

Prepare a First-tier Tribunal (FTT) application: identify the charges, organise your evidence and state the decisions you want.

Start with these three checks

  1. Use the current Leasehold 3 form (opens in a new tab) and fee guidance.
  2. Attach a clear issue schedule rather than a long narrative complaint.
  3. Request fee reimbursement and costs protections separately.

Guidance for this stage

Start with the first topic for an introduction, or choose the guidance for the task you are returning to.

Prepare your First-tier Tribunal applicationUse the official form, attach a table of disputed charges and ask separately for each decision and costs order you need.11 min

Examples to help you prepare

These fictional examples show how to organise the work. Use them to start a document or check one you already have. Replace the example facts and figures before using any wording in your case.

A short issue summary for the application

The summary names the decision sought, the amount, the reason and the evidence without trying to tell the whole history.

Read: Prepare your First-tier Tribunal application

The applicant asks the tribunal under section 27A to determine the amount payable for the 2025/26 communal-cleaning charge.

£420 was demanded and paid. The applicant says £280 is payable because the contractor's record identifies four of the six monthly visits charged.

The applicant relies on lease clause 4.3, issue-schedule row I-001 and documents A1–A5.

Check your own document

  • Add an issue ID that matches your schedule.
  • State the demanded, paid and proposed amounts separately.
  • End with the exact determination you want instead of asking the tribunal to investigate generally.

Different orders asked for separately

These requests do different jobs. Separating them makes omissions easier to spot and avoids treating every costs route as the same application.

Read: Prepare your First-tier Tribunal application

Section 27ADetermine that £280, rather than £420, was payable for item I-001.

Tribunal feeOrder reimbursement of the application and hearing fees actually paid.

Section 20COrder that the landlord's litigation costs are not added to the service charge, with reasons why that would be just and equitable.

Paragraph 5AReduce or extinguish any administration charge for litigation costs, with the factual basis stated.

Rule 13Only if pursued: identify the unreasonable conduct, extra work it caused and evidenced amount in a separate schedule.

Check your own document

  • Give each requested order its own heading, including each request about fees or legal costs.
  • Add the amount, statutory route and short reason for each request.
  • Do not assume a successful section 27A application automatically produces every costs order.

Templates and checklists

Choose a download, then adapt it
FTT application companion and short statement of caseFirst-tier Tribunal (FTT) · Word
Court or tribunal procedure · Reviewed 27 August 2026Background: A short statement of case to accompany the official application form.
FTT costs application packFirst-tier Tribunal (FTT) · Word
Court or tribunal procedure · Reviewed 5 September 2026Based on: The worked case obtained section 20C protection but not Rule 13 costs, showing why these routes must remain separate.