Arbitration service

We are one of the few social landlords to offer a free arbitration service to tenants and homeowners. 

Arbitration is an alternative to going to court to resolve a dispute.

The arbitration process has been designed so that the tribunal can act independently.

It has proved to be a quick and easy way to resolve housing-related disputes.

To be eligible for a panel hearing you must have exhausted Southwark’s formal complaints process.

There are 2 panels.

Tenant and leasehold arbitration panel

This panel deals with disputes relating to:

• standard of works
• breaches of lease/covenant
• poor delivery of service relating to the Right to Buy process

The panel is made up of:

• elected members and/or councillors

• a leaseholder

• an independent chair arbitration officer

• external legal representative

Homeowners service charge arbitration panel

The panel supports homeowners who dispute heir service charges from 2014/2015 onward. 

It can hear disputes relating to:

• the reasonableness of those service charges (whether the amount of money charged is reasonable)
• the quality of any works or services, whether they were satisfactory and good quality
• whether the payment requested was appropriate
• whether the works carried out were necessary

The arbitration panel cannot consider issues relating to:

• the law, or contractual matters laid out in the lease
• disputes relating to major works invoices
• any service charge that is currently subject to legal proceedings
• any service charge that has previously been referred for legal proceedings
• or has been previously determined by the court, First-tier tribunal, or its predecessor the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal, or the Upper Tribunal

To find out more about our arbitration service email arbitration@southwark.gov.uk.