Preparing a householder planning appeal in London costs £475 with us. It is free to lodge, because the Planning Inspectorate charges no fee for a householder appeal. You pay for the work of reading the refusal, answering each reason and putting a case in front of the inspector.
You have 12 weeks from the date on the decision letter to appeal, and that deadline is firm. This article sets out what the appeal costs you, who decides it, what the London figures say about how appeals turn out, and the cases where revising the scheme and re-applying is the better answer.
What you pay, and what you do not
The Inspectorate charges nothing to start the appeal: GOV.UK states there is no fee for appealing. Our £475 covers the part that takes the time. We read the decision notice and the officer's report, go through each reason for refusal, check it against the local policies the council cited, and write an appeal statement that answers them one by one.
Where the refusal turns on a drawing, for example a roof that is a metre too high at the boundary, we amend the drawings and say what changed. New drawings, if needed, are priced separately.
The deadline is the first thing to check
A householder appeal must be made within 12 weeks of the date on the decision letter. Most other planning appeals have 6 months, so householder is the shorter route.
If an enforcement notice is involved the time is shorter still. If the notice arrived before the refusal, you have 28 days from the date on the decision letter. If it arrived after, you must appeal by whichever is sooner of 28 days from receiving the notice or 6 months from the decision letter. Look at both dates the day the letter arrives.
What the figures say about appeals in London
Planning Inspectorate statistics give a sense of the odds, though not a promise. Over the five years to June 2026, 7,526 of 21,880 householder appeals decided in England were allowed. In the 33 London boroughs it was 2,364 of 5,930, which is slightly higher than the national share. The spread between boroughs is wide: in Barnet it was 209 of 413, and in Greenwich 127 of 296.
These numbers say that an appeal is a real remedy, and also that most are not allowed. They tell you nothing about your case, which depends on the reason for refusal.
Appeal, or change the scheme and apply again
An appeal asks an inspector to decide the same scheme the council refused. If the council's reason is sound, a revised scheme is cheaper and quicker. If the reason is weak, or the officer misread a policy or a measurement, an appeal is the right tool.
| The refusal says | Usually better to | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The extension is too deep or too high | Revise and re-apply | The fix is a drawing change, which the council can test again |
| The council applied a policy that does not fit the site | Appeal | An inspector reads the policy afresh |
| Information was missing | Re-apply with it | Nothing for an inspector to decide |
| The officer disagreed with a design judgment | Appeal, with evidence | Neighbouring approvals and a clear section can change the view |
The Inspectorate tells neighbours and others who commented that an appeal has started, and they have a short period to respond. GOV.UK says interested parties must be informed within 5 working days of the appeal being started. If the council acted unreasonably, you can also apply for your costs.
The figures in this article, and where they come from
There is no fee for a householder planning appeal, which must be lodged within 12 weeks of the decision letter.
Source: GOV.UK, Appeal a householder planning decisionYou can appeal a refused householder application for up to 12 weeks from the date on the decision letter.
Source: GOV.UK, Appeal a householder planning decisionIf you received an enforcement notice before the refusal, you have 28 days from the date on your decision letter to appeal.
Source: GOV.UK, Appeal a householder planning decision7,526 of 21,880 householder appeals determined in England between July 2021 and June 2026 were allowed.
Source: Planning Inspectorate casework statistics, as aggregated in the site's data/sources.csv2,364 of 5,930 householder appeals determined across the 33 London boroughs between July 2021 and June 2026 were allowed.
Source: Planning Inspectorate casework statistics, as aggregated in the site's data/sources.csvInterested parties must be told of a householder appeal within 5 working days of the Planning Inspectorate starting it.
Source: GOV.UK, Appeal a householder planning decisionYou have 6 weeks from the date of an appeal decision to challenge it in the High Court on a point of law.
Source: GOV.UK, Appeal a householder planning decision
Questions people ask
Do I need a planning consultant to appeal?
No. Anyone can appeal, and the process is designed for homeowners. A clear statement that answers each refusal reason, supported by accurate drawings, does most of the work. We prepare that statement and the supporting plans so you do not have to learn the policy language.
Can I appeal if the council has not decided?
Yes, you can appeal against non-determination once the time for a decision has passed. The deadline then runs from the date the decision was due, not from a decision letter. It is a way to break a stalemate, but the inspector then decides the scheme afresh.
Can the council's costs be added to mine?
Householder appeals go through a written process. You can apply to the Inspectorate for costs if you believe the council acted unreasonably, for example by refusing for a reason it could not support.
How long does a householder appeal take?
It depends on the Inspectorate's workload, and we do not promise a date. Written appeals are slower than a revised application, so ask us to compare both before you choose.
What if I lose the appeal?
The decision is final unless a legal error was made, in which case you have 6 weeks to challenge it in the High Court. Otherwise you can submit a different scheme, and an inspector's findings often show what would be acceptable.
Householder Planning Appeal: from £475
What you get
- Appeal statement
- Any revised drawings
- Submission to the Planning Inspectorate
- A written view on whether to appeal or revise before you commit
The total you pay, fixed in writing before you commit. Council fees are separate and paid to the council. Prices checked 24 October 2026.
How our householder planning appeal service works