Lands Chamber Forms UK: T-Series, Fees & Deadlines 2026

At a glance

• Who hears these cases: the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber), the specialist tribunal for land, property valuation and property-rights disputes in England and Wales — it replaced the former Lands Tribunal in 2009.
• Main form families: T601/T602 (appeals from the First-tier Tribunal Property Chamber or Leasehold Valuation/Residential Property Tribunal), T385 (rating appeals from the Valuation Tribunal), T371/T370 (compensation and public works references), T379 (restrictive covenant applications under s.84), and T383/T384 (rights of light).
• Permission before appealing: required for First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) and Welsh tribunal decisions — ask the original tribunal within 28 days of the decision, or the Lands Chamber directly within 14 days of a refusal using Form T602. Not required for Valuation Tribunal rating appeals.
• Filing deadline once you have permission: 1 month of getting permission, for Property Chamber and leasehold/residential tribunal appeals.
• Filing deadline for a rating appeal: 28 days of the Valuation Tribunal's decision.
• Fees (current published figures, always verify before paying): £313 for most Property Chamber and rating appeals, £999 for a restrictive covenant application, £755–£761 for rights of light matters, and higher fees for compulsory-purchase cases involving an absent owner. Check GOV.UK for the current schedule.
• Governing procedure rules: the Tribunal Procedure (Upper Tribunal) (Lands Chamber) Rules 2010 (SI 2010/2600).
• Further appeal: to the Court of Appeal, with permission, generally only on a point of law — you must ask the Upper Tribunal judge in writing within 1 month of the decision.

What this document is

The Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) is a specialist judicial body that deals with disputes and appeals concerning land, property valuation, and certain property rights in England and Wales. It took over the work of the former Lands Tribunal in 2009 and sits within the wider Upper Tribunal structure, governed procedurally by the Tribunal Procedure (Upper Tribunal) (Lands Chamber) Rules 2010.

The Chamber's workload falls into several distinct categories, each with its own form:

• Compensation for compulsory purchase and public works — references under the Land Compensation Act 1961 and the Compulsory Purchase Act 1965, started using Form T371 (by a claimant) or Form T370 (by an acquiring authority).
• Restrictive covenant discharge or modification under section 84 of the Law of Property Act 1925, using Form T379.
• Rating and council tax valuation appeals from a decision of the Valuation Tribunal for England or Wales, using Form T385 — this is the only main route that does not require permission first.
• Appeals from the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), a Leasehold Valuation Tribunal in Wales, or a Residential Property Tribunal in Wales, on matters such as leasehold enfranchisement, service charges, rent increases and park homes, using Form T601 (notice of appeal, once you have permission) or Form T602 (application for permission to appeal, if the original tribunal refused it).
• Rights of light applications under the Rights of Light Act 1959, using Form T383 (application for a certificate) alongside Form T384 (the light obstruction notice itself).
• Tree preservation order disputes and blighted land compensation references, using Form T371/T370 or T374/T375 depending on the specific issue.

The full, current list of every Lands Chamber form — including the standard directions forms used once a case is under way (RA1 for rating appeals, LP1 for section 84 applications, ACQ-LCA1 for compensation references) — is published on the GOV.UK Lands Chamber forms collection. The Chamber sits at the Rolls Building in London but hearings can take place elsewhere where that suits the case.

How to use this document

1. Work out which route applies to your case. The form you need depends entirely on what you are doing. GOV.UK sets out a clear table matching case type to form, fee and deadline at apply or appeal to the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) — a compensation reference, a covenant modification application, a rating appeal, and an appeal from the Property Chamber all use different starting documents, so identify the correct category before downloading anything.
2. Check whether you need permission first, and note the deadline for asking. If you are appealing a First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) decision, a Leasehold Valuation Tribunal decision, or a Residential Property Tribunal decision, you must ask the original tribunal for permission within 28 days of the decision letter. If refused, you can ask the Lands Chamber directly using Form T602, but you must do so within 14 days of the refusal. Rating appeals against a Valuation Tribunal decision, and most applications (rather than appeals), do not require permission.
3. Gather your evidence and grounds. Before filing, put together the factual background, any expert valuations or plans, a copy of the original decision being appealed, and a clear statement of what outcome you are asking the Chamber to make. GOV.UK's guidance specifically asks for a "statement of case" setting out why you are appealing or applying — weak grounds at the outset cause delays later.
4. Complete the relevant Lands Chamber form and pay the fee. Forms are available on the GOV.UK Lands Chamber forms collection. Fees vary by case type — for example, £313 for most Property Chamber or rating appeals, £999 for a restrictive covenant application — and you can apply for help with fees if you are on a low income or receive certain benefits. Check the current fee schedule on GOV.UK before sending, as these are reviewed periodically.
5. Send the form and lodge the fee. You can file online using the HMCTS e-filing service or by post to the address shown on the form (Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber), 5th Floor, Rolls Building, 7 Rolls Buildings, Fetter Lane, London EC4A 1NL). Accuracy on names and property descriptions matters, because errors can trigger amendments and delay.
6. Engage with case management. Once the Chamber acknowledges the filing, you will usually receive directions about evidence, expert reports, and hearing arrangements — the standard directions forms (RA1, LP1, ACQ-LCA1) give a sense of what to expect. Meet every deadline, because the Chamber takes compliance seriously and unexplained delays can affect how your case is viewed. Decisions are usually issued in writing within about 3 months of a hearing.

Restrictive covenants: discharge or modification under section 84

Section 84 of the Law of Property Act 1925 gives the Lands Chamber power to discharge or modify a restrictive covenant affecting land. An application is made using Form T379, currently carrying a £999 fee, and GOV.UK's own guidance simply advises getting legal advice on timing because there is no single fixed limitation period — it depends on the facts.

The grounds available under section 84 are broadly that:

• changes in the character of the property, the neighbourhood, or other circumstances mean the restriction ought to be treated as obsolete;
• the restriction impedes some reasonable use of the land and either secures no practical benefit of substantial value to the person it protects, or is contrary to the public interest;
• everyone entitled to the benefit of the restriction has agreed to its discharge or modification (expressly or by implication); or
• the discharge or modification will not injure the people entitled to the benefit of the restriction.

Once an application is lodged, HMCTS publicises it using Form T380, and anyone entitled to the benefit of the covenant can object using Form T381. If the Chamber grants the application, it can direct that compensation be paid to objectors for any loss or disadvantage caused by the discharge or modification. Because the legal tests are genuinely technical and fact-specific, and because a poorly evidenced application can be dismissed, professional input is common in this category even though self-representation is allowed.

Compensation for compulsory purchase and public works

Where land has been compulsorily acquired, or affected by authorised public works, compensation is assessed under a framework built primarily on the Land Compensation Act 1961 and the Compulsory Purchase Act 1965. The starting point for land actually taken is its open market value, and the legislation is explicit that no allowance is made for the fact that the acquisition is compulsory. Claims can also cover injurious affection to land retained by the claimant, disturbance losses, and certain other heads of loss, as set out in the Valuation Office Agency's Land Compensation Manual.

If the acquiring authority and the claimant cannot agree the figures, either side can bring the dispute to the Lands Chamber using a notice of reference — Form T371 if you are the claimant, or Form T370 if you are the acquiring authority — currently at a £313 fee for most cases. Absent-owner compulsory purchase cases and blighted-land references use their own forms (T362, T374, T375) and carry different, higher fees. As with covenant applications, GOV.UK advises getting legal advice on your specific deadline rather than relying on a single fixed time limit.

Rating and business rates appeals

Business rates challenges in England start with the Valuation Office Agency's Check, Challenge, Appeal process, not the Lands Chamber directly — see challenging your business rates valuation. Only once the "check" and "challenge" stages have been completed (or, in limited circumstances, if the VOA has not responded within the statutory period) can the matter reach the Valuation Tribunal, and from there, potentially, the Lands Chamber.

An appeal against a decision of the Valuation Tribunal for England or Wales on rates or council tax valuation uses Form T385, currently at a £313 fee, and must be filed within 28 days of the Valuation Tribunal's decision. This is the one main Lands Chamber route where GOV.UK confirms no permission is required before appealing — you can go straight to the Chamber.

Rights of light

The Rights of Light Act 1959 allows a landowner who wants to build in a way that might otherwise create or preserve a neighbour's right of light to register a light obstruction notice — a "notional" obstruction that interrupts the 20-year period needed to establish the right, without erecting anything physical. To register a light obstruction notice, an applicant must first obtain a certificate from the Lands Chamber, using Form T383 together with Form T384 (the notice itself). Current fees are £755 or £761 depending on the type of certificate sought.

After the hearing: further appeal

If you disagree with the outcome, GOV.UK's guidance on what happens if you lose your case sets out the route clearly: you must ask the Upper Tribunal judge for permission to appeal to a higher court, in writing, within 1 month of the decision, and the appeal is generally limited to a genuine point of law rather than a disagreement with the tribunal's factual or valuation findings. If the judge refuses permission, you can ask the Court of Appeal (Civil Division) directly. Permission is not given lightly, and the Chamber's valuation judgments are often difficult to disturb on appeal — getting the evidence and argument right at first instance matters a great deal, because second bites at the cherry are limited.

If you won your case but disagree with the costs awarded, you can apply for an assessment of costs, but you must do so within 3 months of getting the final decision.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Filing the wrong form for the case type. T601/T602 (Property Chamber appeals), T385 (rating appeals) and T379 (covenant applications) are not interchangeable — check the GOV.UK table before you start.
• Missing the permission window. The 28-day window to ask the original tribunal for permission, and the 14-day window to ask the Lands Chamber after a refusal, are both short and easy to miss if you are waiting for other advice first.
• Assuming every case has the same deadline. Only Property Chamber appeals (1 month from permission) and rating appeals (28 days from decision) carry a single published deadline. For compensation, covenant and public works matters, GOV.UK's own advice is to get legal advice on timing rather than rely on a generic figure.
• Underestimating the evidential burden. Section 84 applications, compensation references and rights of light certificates typically turn on expert valuation or surveying evidence — a bare form with no supporting material is unlikely to succeed.
• Paying an out-of-date fee. Tribunal fees are reviewed periodically; always check the current figure on GOV.UK before sending payment rather than relying on a figure from an earlier search or a previous case.

This guide provides general information about the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) in England and Wales. It is not legal advice and is not a substitute for advice tailored to your specific circumstances. The position described was accurate as at July 2026 and is subject to change — always check GOV.UK and legislation.gov.uk for the current forms, fees and deadlines before you file.

Last reviewed: July 2026 by a non-practising solicitor · Next review due: July 2027 or on procedural change.