What is a Leasehold Valuation Tribunal ?

Leasehold Valuation Tribunals, known for dealing with lease extensions,  are organised by Rent Assessment Panels under the auspices of the Residential Property Tribunal Service (RPTS) in England and the Welsh Assembly in Wales.

Leasehold Valuation Tribunals are independent and impartial bodies. They normally consist of three members: a lawyer, a valuer and a lay person. Leasehold Valuation Tribunals may determine applications without a hearing, but where hearings are held they are less formal than court hearings, in particular evidence is not given on oath. The Leasehold Valuation Tribunals were set up to provide a quicker and simpler option to court proceedings.

There are five regionally-based Leasehold Valuation Tribunals: London, Northern, Midland, Eastern and Southern and one in Wales based in Cardiff. (Contact details can be found at the end of this article).

Applicants to a Leasehold Valuation Tribunal do not have to be represented by a property solicitor or barrister at an oral hearing, although professional assistance is recommended in some types of cases,e.g. enfranchisement or lease extensions.

A Leasehold Valuation Tribunal, whether constituted for an oral hearing or for a determination without an oral hearing, will examine both sides of the argument before determining the issue. The determination may be given orally, and in all cases is issued in writing as soon as possible after the hearing.

Applicants who choose not to be legally represented will need to be aware that they will be responsible for presenting their case to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal , including any supporting arguments and evidence. This is because Leasehold Valuation Tribunal  members are independent and cannot provide assistance to applicants in presenting their case. In these cases it is therefore important to remember that the evidence should be presented clearly and concisely, and should be confined to the matters in the dispute.

If you are considering going to a Leasehold Valuation Tribunal it may make sense to first ask Fridaysmove to conduct a Service Charge Health Check.  Contact us for more details.