Guide · Running your block

What a service charge demand must contain

What a service charge demand must contain in England: landlord's name and address, an address for notices, the summary of rights, and the lease terms.

Last reviewed 22 October 2026 by Phil, founder3 min readPlain text (Markdown)

The short answer

In England, a service charge demand must give the landlord's name and address (for an RTM company, its own), the leaseholders must have been given an address in England and Wales for serving notices, and the demand must come with the prescribed summary of tenants' rights and obligations. It must also follow the lease: the right share, the right payment date and anything the lease requires, such as a budget or certificate. If the statutory information is missing, the charge isn't payable until a corrected demand is sent.

Key facts

Name and address of the landlord on every demand, or the charge is treated as not due (s.47 LTA 1987).
An address in England and Wales for notices must have been given (s.48 LTA 1987).
The prescribed summary of rights and obligations must accompany every demand, in at least 10-point type (s.21B LTA 1985).
Administration charges (such as late-payment fees) need their own, different summary.
Serve demands the way the lease says. Some leases don't allow email.
Missing information can usually be cured by re-serving; missing the 18-month rule can't.

The checklist

A lawful demand in England has all of these.

1. The landlord's name and address (s.47)

Every written demand must contain the landlord's name and address. If that address isn't in England or Wales, it must also give an address in England and Wales for serving notices. Without this, the service charge (or administration charge) in the demand is treated as not due until the information is given.

RTM company: use its own name and address. Many also show the freeholder's, to be safe.
Freehold company: the company is the landlord: use its name and registered office.
Residents' management company: give its details, and the freeholder's if the freeholder is a separate landlord.

2. An address for service of notices (s.48)

Leaseholders must have been told, by notice, an address in England and Wales where they can serve notices on the landlord. Until then, rent and service charges aren't due. One notice is enough, but most blocks print it on every demand.

3. The summary of rights and obligations (s.21B)

Every service-charge demand must be accompanied by the prescribed summary, headed "Service Charges – Summary of tenants' rights and obligations", in the exact wording set by regulations and in type of at least 10 point. Without it, the leaseholder may withhold payment until it's provided.

Demands for administration charges (late-payment interest, fees for consents or sale packs) need a different prescribed summary.

4. What the lease requires

the correct share for that flat;
the correct payment date, and the period it covers;
anything the lease says must come with it, such as the budget, a certificate or a statement of account;
the method of service the lease's notices clause allows.

5. What good practice adds

how to pay, with the company's bank details and a reference for the flat;
a reminder that bank details will never change by email alone;
a breakdown of the budget, so leaseholders can see what they're paying for;
a contact for questions.

Serving it

Follow the lease's notices clause. Many leases require notices to be in writing and delivered by hand or sent by post to the flat, or to the leaseholder's last known address. Some don't allow email at all. Keep a record of how and when each demand was sent, and a copy of exactly what was sent.

Timing

Send on-account demands for the dates the lease sets.
Demand any year-end balancing charge promptly. Costs incurred more than 18 months before they're demanded may be lost for good unless a written warning was sent in time. See The 18-month rule.

Changes on the way

The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 will replace the summary of rights with new prescribed demand forms, including a standard layout for the budget. The government said in July 2026 that the regulations would be made with 12 months' notice, with changes from 2027. Until then, the rules above apply.

This is general information, not legal advice. Every building and lease is different. For free initial advice, contact LEASE (The Leasehold Advisory Service): https://www.lease-advice.org/

Questions people ask

Do we have to send the summary of rights and obligations with every service charge demand?

Yes. In England, every demand for a service charge must be accompanied by the prescribed summary. Without it, the leaseholder may withhold payment of that demand until it's provided.

Can service charge demands be sent by email?

Only if the lease allows it, or the leaseholder has agreed in a way the lease recognises. Many leases require notices to be in writing delivered by hand or post, and some say email isn't enough. If in doubt, post the demand and email a courtesy copy.

Whose name goes on a demand from an RTM company?

The RTM company's own name and address. Because the freeholder is still the landlord under the leases, many RTM companies also show the freeholder's name and address.

What happens if a demand was wrong?

Most defects, such as a missing summary or missing name and address, can be cured by sending a corrected demand; the money becomes payable from then. But costs that fall outside the 18-month rule can't be rescued by a corrected demand.