On 15 July 2026 the government published its response to the Strengthening Leaseholder Protections consultation, confirming annual building condition reports, a standardised service charge demand form, and new protection from a landlord's litigation costs. Here is what was confirmed and when leaseholders can expect to see it.
On 15 July 2026 the government published its response to the "Strengthening Leaseholder Protections Over Charges and Services" consultation, confirming a significant package of new rules under the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. For anyone who has ever received a service charge demand with little more than a total figure and a due date, this is one of the more practically useful reforms in the pipeline, and it is now considerably closer to happening.
Annual building reports. Landlords will be required to give leaseholders an annual report giving an insight into the health and condition of their building. This is intended to end the situation where a large bill for repairs arrives with no prior warning and no way to check whether it was foreseeable.
A standardised service charge demand form. Instead of the current patchwork of formats, a new prescribed form will set out clearly what each charge covers, in a standard layout leaseholders can actually compare year to year and building to building.
Protection from a landlord's legal costs in disputes. Where there is a dispute, for example over service charges, new rules will stop leaseholders automatically footing their landlord's legal bill without any challenge, and will let leaseholders apply to recover their own costs instead. This sits alongside the "process costs" reform in the 2024 Act for lease extension and enfranchisement claims, which is itself not yet in force and was the subject of a separate consultation opened on 15 July 2026.
A right to request building information. Leaseholders will be able to request certain building information going back up to six years, with set timeframes for the landlord to respond.
Two of the most common complaints we hear from leaseholders are that service charge demands are opaque, a single line item with no breakdown, and that major works bills appear with no warning and little opportunity to plan. The annual building report and the standardised demand form are aimed squarely at both problems. Neither requires a leaseholder to go to tribunal to get information they are currently often refused, or given only after a formal request and delay.
The costs protection is arguably the more significant change for anyone already in a dispute. Under the current law, a leaseholder who challenges a service charge can still end up paying the landlord's legal costs of defending that challenge, through a term in the lease allowing costs to be added to the service charge account, even where the challenge has some merit. That has deterred legitimate challenges. Requiring tribunal or court approval before litigation costs can be passed through the service charge removes much of that chilling effect.
These are confirmed policy positions, not yet law in operation. The government says it expects to lay a minimum of five statutory instruments in Parliament later in 2026 to implement the package, with leaseholders starting to see the practical changes during 2027. As with other parts of the 2024 Act, the gap between a policy being confirmed and a right actually being enforceable can run to a year or more, so this is a reform to watch rather than one to rely on today.
Until the new rules are in force, the existing protections still apply and are worth using. Under section 21 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 you can already request a written summary of service charge costs, and under section 22 you can inspect the supporting accounts, receipts and invoices. If a demand does not comply with the statutory requirements, including the summary of rights and obligations that must accompany it, it may not be payable until it does. And if you believe a charge is unreasonable, an application to the First-tier Tribunal under section 27A remains available now, without waiting for these reforms to land.
Of the various strands of leasehold reform currently in motion, this package is one of the more leaseholder-focused pieces, because it targets information and cost exposure rather than the more contested questions around commonhold conversion or valuation. It is also, realistically, further off than the headline "confirmed" might suggest. We will be tracking the statutory instruments as they are laid later this year and will update readers as firm commencement dates emerge.
If you are dealing with an unclear service charge demand or a dispute with your landlord or managing agent now, you do not need to wait for these reforms to challenge it. Call us on 020 3540 9996 or use the contact form on this site for a free initial conversation.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Accurate as at 28 September 2026.
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