The definitive plain English guide to the Right to Manage for UK leaseholders

What is the Right to Manage?

The Right to Manage is a legal power given to leaseholders in England and Wales under the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002. It lets qualifying leaseholders take control of how their building is managed, replacing the freeholder's appointed managing agent with a company they run themselves. You do not need to prove the freeholder has mismanaged the property. You do not need the freeholder's permission. You simply need to meet the qualifying criteria and follow the correct process.

This matters because the way a building is managed has a direct effect on your home, your service charges, and your quality of life. If your current management is poor, expensive, or unresponsive, the Right to Manage gives you a real and legally recognised way to change that.

Who qualifies for the Right to Manage?

The qualifying rules are set out in law and they are reasonably generous. At least two thirds of the flats in the building must be held on long leases, which usually means leases originally granted for more than 21 years. At least half of all leaseholders must participate in the claim. The building must not have a resident landlord in more than 25 per cent of the total floor space, and no more than 25 per cent of the building can be in commercial use.

Individual leaseholders also need to hold a long lease. If you are not sure whether your building or your lease meets the criteria, you can check if your building qualifies using our eligibility tool. The rules catch some buildings out, particularly very mixed-use developments, so it is worth checking before you start.

How does the process actually work?

The process starts with leaseholders forming a Right to Manage company. This is a company limited by guarantee, incorporated at Companies House, with membership open to all qualifying leaseholders in the building. Setting it up is not complex and the costs are modest.

Once the company is formed, a formal claim notice is served on the freeholder and any current managing agent. The freeholder then has a set period to respond. If they accept the claim, management transfers to your RTM company on a date agreed between the parties. If they contest it, the matter can go to the First-tier Tribunal, though most claims are uncontested when the qualifying criteria are clearly met.

The RTM company then takes over the management functions. You can appoint your own managing agent, negotiate your own contracts, and make decisions about how the building is run. You can read more about the full RTM process on our dedicated guide.

What can you do once you have the Right to Manage?

Once management transfers, the RTM company takes responsibility for services, repairs, insurance, and the day-to-day running of the building. You are not required to manage everything yourselves. Many RTM companies choose to appoint a professional managing agent, but they do so on their own terms and can replace that agent if performance is poor.

Leaseholders who are members of the RTM company have a say in how decisions are made. You can attend meetings, vote on key issues, and hold the people running your building to account. That level of involvement is not something most leaseholders have under a freeholder-controlled structure.

Does the Right to Manage mean you own the freehold?

No. The Right to Manage is about control of management, not ownership of the building. You and the other leaseholders do not acquire any part of the freehold. The freeholder retains ownership of the building and the land it sits on. What changes is who decides how the building is run and who spends the service charge money.

If you want to go further and buy the freehold collectively, that is a separate process known as collective enfranchisement. Both routes have their merits depending on your building and your goals. You can explore what the Right to Manage actually means for a deeper look at how it compares to owning the freehold.

What are the common reasons leaseholders use the Right to Manage?

The most common trigger is frustration. Leaseholders who feel their managing agent is unresponsive, their service charges are opaque or rising fast, or their building is not being properly maintained often look for a way to take back control. The Right to Manage provides exactly that.

Some leaseholders also use it proactively. When a freeholder sells the building or appoints a new managing agent without consultation, RTM gives leaseholders a legal mechanism to assert their rights. It is a well-used and well-tested process with thousands of successful claims completed across England and Wales.

Is the Right to Manage difficult to do?

The process has clear legal steps and timelines. It is not trivial, but it is designed to be accessible to leaseholders who are willing to organise themselves and follow the process carefully. Many groups of leaseholders complete the process without a solicitor, though legal advice can be useful if the freeholder contests the claim or if there are complications with the building's structure.

The biggest practical challenge is usually getting enough leaseholders to participate. You need at least half of all qualifying leaseholders to join the RTM company. Getting neighbours engaged and aligned takes effort, but for many leaseholders it is genuinely transformative once achieved.

If you are ready to take the first step, check the qualifying criteria for your building and see how close you are to being able to make a claim.

This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every situation is different — if you need guidance specific to your building or lease, please consult a qualified solicitor.