A new online tool has been released; letting leaseholders interested in taking over management of their building know whether they could work with their neighbours to do just that.
Leaseholders’ ‘Right to Manage’
Large numbers of people own the leasehold to their individual flat, but the building is frequently owned by an outside landlord who charges a fee for managing and maintaining the building and grounds.
The ‘Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002’ established a right for leaseholders to take over the management of their building, subject to a number of criteria. The principle is that if you are a tenant and are unhappy with the way your building is being managed; you and your neighbours may be able to take over the management of your building.
Right to Manage Assessment Tool
To make it easier to work out if you and your neighbours would be able to take over the management of your building, a new online tool has been launched by the Government.
The ‘Right to Manage Assessment Tool’ has been created by Consumer Focus, the official consumer champion for England, Wales, Scotland and (for postal consumers) Northern Ireland.
It’s a simple online questionnaire, which breaks down the eligibility criteria into a series of yes or no questions.
The head of Consumer Focus investigations, Gemma Bowen, said: “Some of the legal specifics around whether leaseholders can or can’t come together to take over the management of their building can seem complex and off-putting. That’s why we’ve put together this on-line tool to take people through the first few steps and see whether the Right to Manage is something that would be of real interest to them.
“We hope our tool will empower and inspire leaseholders who are unhappy with their building’s current management to work with their neighbours to take control of their situation, and deliver the changes they want to see.”
26th May 2011