Stage2of 5

Prepare and apply

Build a focused First-tier Tribunal application that names the right parties, years and requested orders.

Do these three things first

Use the current Leasehold 3 form and fee guidance.
Attach a clear issue schedule rather than a long narrative complaint.
Request fee reimbursement and costs protections separately.

What this stage can look like

Use these compact illustrations to recognise the work and improve what you already have. Keep your facts and existing document; add what is missing. The wording and figures below are hypothetical, not text to file unchanged.

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.

Open the detailed guidance

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.

Strengthen what you already have

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.

Open the detailed guidance

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.

Strengthen what you already have

Keep any order you have already drafted, but split combined costs wording into separate headings.
Add the amount, statutory route and short reason for each request.
Do not assume a successful section 27A application automatically produces every costs order.

Guidance for this stage

Open the topic that matches the work in front of you.

Prepare a First-tier Tribunal application the tribunal can useFile a focused application with a clear issue schedule, the right parties and a separate request for each order you want.11 min

Do these three things first

A short issue summary for the application

Strengthen what you already have

Different orders asked for separately

Strengthen what you already have

Guidance for this stage

Templates and checklists