Tenants to be informed of their rights

From 1 October this year tenants in England must be provided with specific details about their rights and obligations with any demand for payment of a service or administration charge the Government has said.

New measures, laid in Parliament, set out the information that must be included in ’summaries’ to be sent with any demand for payment. If the ’summaries’ do not comply with the measures, the service or administration charges will not need to be paid until they do.

The ’summaries’ will apply mainly to those long leaseholders required under the terms of their lease to pay variable service charges, or where the landlord can request payment of an administration charge. However, they could also affect other tenants depending on their circumstances.

Guidance on what will need to be included in the ’summaries’ will be available from the Leasehold Advisory Service later this summer. Tenants that are uncertain about whether this will affect them should seek independent advice.

Housing Minister Baroness Andrews said: “The measures will ensure tenants are better informed about their rights and obligations. For too long, some people have been left unclear about what is expected of them and what they can do if they are unhappy with the charges. This new approach brings real openess and transparency to the process, helping residents up and down the country.”