How we write and check our guides
Our guides are written and checked by the Section 20 Defender team. They explain how the Section 20 and service charge rules work in England, so you can understand your notice and know what to ask. Here’s how we make sure they’re accurate.
Our process
We start from the primary sources
Every guide is written from the law and official guidance itself: legislation.gov.uk for the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the 2003 Consultation Regulations, GOV.UK, LEASE (the government-funded Leasehold Advisory Service), the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, and published court judgments from the National Archives and the Supreme Court.
We check every statement against those sources
Before a guide goes live, each legal point is matched to the source that supports it. Where the law says something precisely, such as the observation period being 30 days beginning with the date of the notice, we use the exact wording rather than a paraphrase.
We list the sources on the page
Each guide ends with an Official sources box. Every link in it was opened by hand and checked against what the guide says. Only official sites are used, plus MoneyHelper and Citizens Advice on the guide about struggling to pay, because LEASE links to both.
We re-check, and date it honestly
Every guide shows a Last reviewed date. It changes only when the guide has genuinely been re-checked, not when a typo is fixed. Our two full review passes, in August and October 2026, found and corrected 27 points where wording had been oversimplified enough to mislead.
Links are tested every week
An automated check opens every official link in our guides and directories each Monday. Anything that has moved or disappeared is flagged to us so we can re-research it from official sources rather than guess a replacement.
Rules every guide follows
- We never say a charge or notice is valid, invalid, lawful or unlawful. Only the First-tier Tribunal or a court can decide that.
- We never predict how a dispute will turn out.
- We never tell you to pay, withhold payment or start proceedings. Raising a question doesn't pause a payment deadline.
- We give a figure as fixed only when the law fixes it. Anything that depends on your lease or your landlord's arrangements is described that way.
- We cover England only. Wales has its own regulations, and Scotland and Northern Ireland have different systems.
What our guides are not
They’re general information, not legal advice about your lease or your notice. For free advice on your own situation, LEASE is a good first step. For anything with a lot of money or a deadline at stake, consider a solicitor who specialises in leasehold.
Spotted a mistake?
Please tell us. We check every report against the official source, correct the guide if it’s wrong, and update its Last reviewed date.