Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024

57 Right to obtain information on request

(1) The LTA 1985 is amended as follows.

(2) After section 21E (as inserted by section 56) insert—

“21F Right to obtain information on request

(1) A tenant may require the landlord to provide information specified in regulations made by the appropriate authority.

(2) The appropriate authority may specify information for the purposes of subsection (1) only if it relates to—

(a) service charges, or

(b) services, repairs, maintenance, improvements, insurance, or management of dwellings.

(3) The landlord must provide the tenant with any of the information requested that is within the landlord’s possession.

(4) The landlord must request information from another person if—

(a) the information has been requested from the landlord under subsection (1),

(b) the landlord does not possess the information when the request is made, and

(c) the landlord believes that the other person possesses the information.

(5) That person must provide the landlord with any of the information requested that is within that person’s possession.

(6) A person (“A”) must request information from another person (“B”) if—

(a) the information has been requested from A under subsection (4) or this subsection,

(b) A does not possess the information when the request is made, and

(c) A believes that B possesses the information.

(7) B must provide A with any of the information requested that is within B’s possession.

(8) The appropriate authority may by regulations—

(a) provide for how a request is to be made under this section;

(b) provide that a request under this section may not be made until the end of a particular period, or until another condition is met;

(c) make provision as to the period within which a request under subsection (4) or (6) must be made;

(d) provide for circumstances in which a duty to comply with a request under this section does not apply.

(9) Section 21G makes further provision about requests under this section.

(10) For the purposes of this section—

(a) “information” includes a document containing information, and a copy of such a document;

(b) references to a tenant include the secretary of a recognised tenants’ association representing the tenant, in circumstances where the tenant has consented to the association acting on the tenant’s behalf for the purposes of this section.

(11) Regulations under this section—

(a) are to be made by statutory instrument;

(b) may make provision generally or only in relation to specific cases;

(c) may make different provision for different purposes;

(d) may include supplementary, incidental, transitional or saving provision.

(12) A statutory instrument containing regulations under this section is subject to the negative procedure.

21G Requests under section 21F: further provision

(1) Subsections (2) to (6) apply where a person (“R”) requests information under section 21F from another person (“P”).

(2) R may request that P provide the information to R by allowing R access to premises where R may inspect the information and make and remove a copy of the information.

(3) P must provide information which P is required to provide under section 21F—

(a) before the end of a specified period beginning with the day the request is made, and

(b) if R has made a request under subsection (2), by allowing R the access requested during a specified period.

“Specified” means specified in regulations made by the appropriate authority.

(4) P may charge R for the costs of doing anything required under section 21F or this section.

(5) But, if P is a landlord, P may not charge the tenant for the costs of allowing the tenant access to premises to inspect information (but may charge for the making of copies).

(6) The costs referred to in subsection (4) may be relevant costs for the purposes of a variable service charge (whether charged to the tenant making the request under section 21F(1) or another tenant).

(7) Regulations under subsection (3) may provide for circumstances in which a specified period is to be extended.

(8) The appropriate authority may by regulations make further provision as to how information requested under section 21F is to be provided.

(9) Regulations under this section—

(a) are to be made by statutory instrument;

(b) may make provision generally or only in relation to specific cases;

(c) may make different provision for different purposes;

(d) may include supplementary, incidental, transitional or saving provision.

(10) A statutory instrument containing regulations under this section is subject to the negative procedure.

21H Effect of assignment on requests under section 21F

(1) The assignment of a tenancy does not affect an obligation arising as a result of a request made under section 21F before the assignment.

(2) But, in the circumstances of such an assignment, a person is not obliged to provide the same information more than once in respect of the same dwelling.”

(3) Omit the following sections—

(a) section 22 (request to inspect supporting accounts);

(b) section 23 (request relating to information held by superior landlord);

(c) section 24 (effect of assignment on request).