Why Right to Manage (RTM)?
Many of our leaseholders share the same concerns: rising service charges, unreliable building services, poor communication, and a lack of confidence that costs are being properly scrutinised on behalf of residents.
Exercising our Right to Manage (RTM) will give us (the leaseholders) the legal right to take control of the management of their building and replace the current managing agent with a different one — without having to buy the freehold.
RTM is about ensuring that decisions affecting our home, our finances, and the future of our building are made in the interests of residents, not external landlords or their own appointed managing agents.
The Problems We Are Facing
Over many years we have experienced ongoing issues with the reliability and quality of services provided within the building, including:
Frequent lift breakdowns
Regular communal heating and hot water outages
Poor responsiveness to issues when they arise
Lack of communication and accountability from management
At the same time, we have seen service charges continue to rise significantly, despite feeling that the level of service being delivered does not justify the cost.
There is also frustration that insufficient scrutiny appears to be applied to contracts, repairs, and expenditure, leaving leaseholders concerned about whether:
works are being carried out to an acceptable standard,
contractors are providing value for money,
and service charge funds are being spent efficiently.
Greater Control Over How our Building Is Managed
Under the current structure, leaseholders have very limited influence over how the building is run. Decisions regarding budgets, contractors, maintenance, and management arrangements are largely made without meaningful resident oversight even though we end up paying for them via the service charge.
Better Value for Money
One of the biggest frustrations is the level of service charges relative to the quality of service currently being provided and we are paying premium-level charges for services that are inconsistent, unreliable, and poorly managed.
RTM gives us the opportunity to:
Review and benchmark existing contracts
Retender maintenance and service agreements competitively
Reduce unnecessary overheads and commissions
Ensure expenditure is properly monitored
Focus on achieving genuine value for money
The aim is not simply to reduce costs at all costs, but to ensure leaseholders receive a professional, responsive, and efficient management service that reflects the level of charges being paid.
Improved Communication and Responsiveness
Another key concern is the lack of responsiveness when problems occur.
Under RTM, the RTM Company appoint a managing agent whose performance is directly accountable to the people paying their fee. This creates a far more responsive and transparent management structure, where issues can be escalated quickly and resolved more efficiently.
Residents should expect:
Clear and competent communication
Faster responses to issues and emergencies
Better oversight of contractors and repairs
More transparency around decision-making
Regular updates on building matters and planned works
A Long-Term Plan for the Building
RTM also allows us to take a more proactive approach to the long-term upkeep and maintenance of the building.
Rather than simply reacting to problems as they arise, we can work with the managing agent to:
Plan preventative maintenance,
Improve budgeting and reserve fund planning,
Prioritise essential works,
Maintain the long-term condition and value of the development.
A Practical and Achievable Solution
RTM is a well-established legal right that has been successfully exercised by thousands of leaseholders across England and Wales.
The process is designed to allow leaseholders to take control of the management of their building without having to prove fault or wrongdoing by the existing freeholder or managing agent.
The key requirement is that at least 50% of qualifying leaseholders become members of the RTM Company before the claim is made.