Right to manage pros and cons: is RTM right for your building?

If you are thinking about Right to Manage, you are probably already frustrated with your current management situation. But RTM is a legal process with real commitments attached, and it is not the right move for every building. This guide sets out the genuine pros and cons so you can make an informed decision. If your building does qualify, the case for taking control and managing it yourselves is stronger than most people realise.

TL;DR

• RTM gives leaseholders control of management without proving fault or buying the freehold
• Plan four to six months for forming a company, serving notices, and meeting participation thresholds
• Self-managed blocks often save heavily while gaining transparency and direct control
• Engaged neighbours and poor current management make the strongest RTM candidates
• With tools, self-management costs less than agents. Visit righttomanage.com/eligibility

What are the main benefits of Right to Manage?

Right to Manage is deliberately designed to move real power. After acquisition, the RTM company can appoint a managing agent, retender that appointment, or bring management functions in house. Many groups discover that the biggest unlock is not swapping one agent logo for another, but running the building on terms that match how residents actually live in it.

The financial story is often dramatic once leaseholders self manage. Without a third party clipping margin into every repair, insurance renewal, and minor job, the same work can cost meaningfully less. In conversation, leaseholders often cite savings in the 40 to 50% range when they compare old invoices with new procurement under direct control. That is not a promise for every block, but it is a realistic band people report when they finally see the underlying quotes.

Self-management also changes what you can see day to day. Leaseholders who use the right tools can source their own quotes for services, follow exactly where service charge money goes, and keep leases, insurance certificates, inspection reports, and contracts in one place instead of chasing an inbox. They get clearer visibility on jobs in progress, maintenance schedules, and compliance deadlines, and they can stay current when legislation shifts without paying someone else simply to monitor the rules.

Unlike many dispute routes, RTM does not require you to prove fault, go to court, or buy the freehold. If you qualify, it is a statutory pathway with known steps and timelines. For a plain English walkthrough of those steps, read how the RTM process works.

What does self-management actually look like?

This is where the mood of a building tends to flip. Self-management sounds intimidating until leaseholders realise how much of it is disciplined organisation rather than surveying degrees. With modern tools built for residential blocks, ordinary leaseholders can track jobs, schedule maintenance, manage finances transparently, store documents, communicate with neighbours, record compliance checks, and get notified when rules change.

The financial logic is blunt in a helpful way. You stop paying layered management fees, you reduce markup hidden inside contractor invoices, and you remove the opaque service charge summaries that make it hard to trust the numbers. You request quotes yourselves, compare them properly, appoint people you trust, and pay for what you agreed. It is closer to running a small community organisation than becoming a surveyor overnight.

Some blocks choose a hybrid model, keeping a light touch professional for niche work while residents handle day to day decisions. That can work. Even so, full self-management is realistic for most engaged groups if they share roles and use software that keeps everyone aligned. In our view, this is how many blocks should be run in 2026: resident led, transparent, and cheaper than outsourcing curiosity about your own building.

What are the risks and downsides?

RTM is not a magic button. Someone has to chair meetings, file documents, and answer reasonable questions from neighbours. Directors of the RTM company have Companies House responsibilities, and while they are manageable for most people, they are not imaginary. Coordinating participation can feel slow, especially where some flat owners prefer to stay silent until the hard work is done.

There is also a human risk after acquisition. If enthusiasm evaporates, the building can drift. Professional help for the notice of claim stage still costs money, and a freeholder can challenge a claim through the proper process if they believe criteria are not met. None of this should scare you off by itself. Good tools cut the admin drag, director duties are learnable with clear checklists, and the ongoing savings usually outweigh sensible legal spend on notices when the claim is well prepared.

If you are unsure whether your building is even in scope, start with the structured check at righttomanage.com/eligibility before you invest emotional energy in neighbour politics.

What does the process actually involve?

At a high level, you form an RTM company at Companies House, invite qualifying leaseholders to participate, then serve the formal notices that start the statutory clock. The freeholder receives a claim notice and has a defined period to respond with a counter notice if they dispute anything. If the claim is admitted and criteria are met, management functions transfer on the acquisition date.

Most straightforward claims move smoothly when notices are correct and eligibility is clear. The process is detail sensitive rather than mysterious. If you want help producing notices that match your building, use righttomanage.com/templates/wizard. For a longer companion read that follows the journey end to end, see the complete Right to Manage guide on this blog.

What makes a building a good candidate for RTM?

Strong candidates usually share a few traits. Neighbours are willing to talk, at least one person can keep the thread moving, and there is genuine dissatisfaction with how the building is run today. The statutory tests still matter, so the block must fall within the qualifying rules for flats, leases, and participation. If you pass those tests, motivation becomes the fuel.

Buildings that want visibility over spending and repairs are especially well suited. RTM plus self-management gives you both: the legal right to run the building, and a practical setup where finances, documents, and jobs are visible to the people who pay for them. If that sounds like what your stairwell conversations are really about, you are probably in the right conversation.

What are the alternatives if RTM is not right for us?

Other tools exist, and they solve different problems. Collective enfranchisement buys the freehold. The right of first refusal can matter when the freeholder plans to sell their interest. Lease variation can adjust specific lease terms where everyone agrees. The First-tier Tribunal can appoint a manager in serious failure cases.

Each route has a place in leasehold life. None of them gives the same ongoing combination of control and cost discipline that RTM paired with self-management can deliver for qualifying blocks that simply want to run their building sensibly.

Frequently asked questions

Do we need a reason to do RTM?

No. RTM is a no-fault right. You do not need to prove mismanagement or give any reason for wanting to take over management.

How much does it cost to do RTM?

The main costs are company formation (around £50) and any professional costs during the process. If you use a solicitor for the notice of claim, a typical ballpark today is often around £1,500 to £2,000, which is why RightToManage.com is built as a free resource: we explain what those fees buy, then give you the tools to do the same job yourself. You do not need a solicitor — we have a free RTM notice of claim wizard that walks you through the process step by step. Since the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, leaseholders no longer have to pay the freeholder's RTM-related costs.

What is a reasonable increase in service charge?

There is no statutory cap on service charge increases. Whether an increase is reasonable depends on the actual costs incurred. Leaseholders have the right to request a summary of relevant costs and inspect the underlying accounts and receipts. If you believe charges are unreasonable you can apply to the First-tier Tribunal. One of the key benefits of Right to Manage is that leaseholders take direct control of the service charge budget, removing the opacity that often surrounds freeholder-managed accounts. The most effective way to control service charge increases is through RTM — leaseholders who self-manage set their own budget and approve expenditure directly.

Do we have to appoint a managing agent after RTM?

No. Many leaseholders choose to self-manage their building after RTM, which is typically significantly cheaper than appointing a managing agent. With the right tools, self-management is accessible to most engaged groups of leaseholders.

What happens if the freeholder challenges our claim?

The freeholder can serve a counter-notice disputing the claim. If they do, the matter goes to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). Most uncontested claims proceed without this happening.

What if only a few neighbours are interested?

At least half of the leaseholders in the building must join the RTM company. If you are short of that threshold, the process cannot proceed until more neighbours sign up.

Related guides

• What is the Right to Manage?
• How the RTM process works
• Free RTM checklist
• The complete Right to Manage guide
• How to remove a managing agent

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.