Right to ManageRight to Manage, from the claim to day one

What we take care of

• An initial look at eligibility
• Guidance on the RTM process and timings
• Coordination with your solicitor
• Handover from the outgoing agent or landlord
• Budget and service charge set-up
• Contracts, insurance and compliance

What Right to Manage is

Right to Manage (RTM) was introduced by the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002. It allows qualifying leaseholders of flats to form an RTM company and take over the management of their building from the landlord, without having to buy the freehold or prove that the current management is at fault.

Once the RTM company acquires the right, it takes on the landlord's management functions under the leases: collecting service charges, arranging repairs and insurance, and appointing a managing agent if it chooses to.

Does your building qualify?

In broad terms, under the 2002 Act:

• the building must be a self-contained building, or a self-contained part of a building, containing at least two flats held by qualifying tenants (generally leaseholders with long leases);
• the qualifying tenants must hold at least two-thirds of the flats;
• there are limits on how much of the building can be non-residential, such as shops or offices; and
• some buildings are excluded, for example certain buildings with a resident landlord.

The rules have been changing under the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, with some changes in force and others still to come. We'll check where your building stands, and your solicitor will confirm eligibility before any notices are served.

The process, step by step

1. Form the RTM company. A company limited by guarantee, set up for the purpose.
2. Invite participation. Qualifying tenants who aren't yet members must be invited to join before the claim is made.
3. Serve the claim notice. When enough qualifying tenants are members (at least half of the flats), the company serves a claim notice on the landlord and others entitled to it.
4. Counter-notice. The landlord can accept the claim or dispute it. A disputed claim can go to the First-tier Tribunal.
5. Acquisition date. If the claim succeeds, the RTM company takes over management on the acquisition date set out in the claim notice.

Where we come in

We help the RTM company plan for acquisition day. That means getting information from the outgoing landlord or agent, arranging insurance and contracts, setting the first budget, opening the client account and setting up directors and residents on the Harrison Services Portal.

From then on, we manage the building and report to the RTM company's directors. Read our guide to RTM vs RMC to understand how the two compare.