Hi I'm I living in a converted chapel. I'm the leasholder on the upper floor and the freeholders are on the ground floor. There are no communal areas. We have separate front doors.

I'm in the process of selling my flat. I have a buyer who has been accepted a mortgage.

The freeholder has now issued me with a section 20 saying, it's for a fire risk assessment and inspection of gabel end cladding at the front of the building. The freeholders are not approachable so we can't actually talk in a neighbourly way.

How can i save my sale as I've read so much stuff about it taking months

Hi Paula,

A Section 20 is required for 'works' to the building. A fire risk assessment and an appraisal of the cladding, I would imagine, are more akin to a professional fee / service than 'works'.

I do not know of any legal precedent that determines the definition of 'works', however I am aware of numerous cladding appraisals that have proceeded without a Section 20 process, despite being over the £250/flat threshold.

A Section 20 process must include notice periods that will mean it will take multiple months. Depending on the speed of the freeholder in progressing it, and the time it takes them to get quotes, it could take 2, 3, 4+ months.

If the freeholder proceeded without a S.20 that would speed things up, however the buyers might not want to proceed until the results of the fire risk assessment and the appraisal are known? As there may be a cost applicable to the service charge to implement their recommendations. It may take the contractor 1, 2, 3+ weeks to write up and return their reports.