Rtmf Wins Uk’s Biggest Right To Manage Case

Nov. 13, 2012 - PRLog -- Metro Central Heights RTM Company Ltd, a company owned by the leaseholders, will take control of the management of the 422 apartment block from agents Consort Property Management.  Performance of Consort will be monitored over 12 months before deciding whether to tender for a new managing agent next year.

RTMF’s Nick Bignell commented: “Despite the sheer size of the premises, we were confident our work for Metro Central Heights would result in the acquisition of the Right to Manage, even after receiving a counter-notice from Peverel owned Consort Property Management. It’s a brilliant example of how, with professional guidance a lessee community can come together, fight a powerful landlord and come out on top.”

RTMF took the case to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal and represented by its solicitor, Margarita Mossop, won a favourable judgement along with a commendation from the Tribunal’s Chairman for the help and guidance the RTMF gives to leaseholders.

Control over decisions and expenditures at Metro Central Heights was the motivating factor for the leaseholders to take action, with interest in RTM starting many years back.

As many leaseholders were not resident at Metro Central Heights because they lived overseas, it was difficult to canvass enough support for the Residents’ Association to take things forward. RTMF were approached by the residents in 2011 to help matters progress. A few months later, co-ordinated and supervised by RTMF, an unprecedented 248 leaseholders had given their support, enabling the RTM application to proceed.

A spokesperson for the Residents’ Association said: “The Right to Manage is a triumph, with RTMF being integral to that success. Not only will it enable us to get better value for money by allowing us to tender contracts, but the added control it entitles us to will be vital in the day-to-day management of the block and its upkeep.”

RTM is intended to put the power and control back in the hands of leaseholders, driving up the standard of leasehold management and providing leaseholders with the statutory power to resist exploitation by unscrupulous landlords and managers. Under the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002, it is the legal right of leaseholders to manage themselves or to choose who manages their building.  As long as at least half the leaseholders in the block are in support the Right to Manage process can proceed.

RTMF was set up in 2006 to offer a unique RTM scheme to retirement blocks in response to exorbitant charges and poor services from management companies. Its services expanded over the years to embrace all residential apartment blocks. To date, the RTMF has successfully completed RTM for over 3,400 properties of which around 1,600  were previously managed by Peverel companies such as OM Property Management Ltd, Consort Property Management and Peverel Retirement. Overall, RTMF has had a 99% success rate, helping thousands of apartment owners in privately owned and retirement blocks nationwide.

The company offers a comprehensive RTM service preparing all the statutory notices and handling all legal procedures on leaseholder’s behalf. Leaseholder participation is minimal and the changeover seamless. RTMF is believed to be the only organisation in the market place to offer a capped price on its comprehensive service and makes no additional charge for the statutory application to the LVT if the Claim Notice is challenged by the Landlord. The company pledge is to make RTM available to as many apartment owners as possible nationwide, at the lowest guaranteed cost.            
                         
ENDS

Notes to editors:

- Interview, photos and further press information requests, please contact Sarah Jones at Blueberry PR, sarah@blueberry-pr.co.uk; 07775 582 497.

- For more information on The Right to Manage Federation, visit www.rtmf.org.uk.

- The full address of Metro Central Heights is 119 Newington Causeway, London, SE1 6DB.

- Metro Central Heights a substantial multi-storey residential apartment development which was formed and created following the conversion of commercial offices known as Alexander Fleming House.  Originally built in the 1960s to a design by modernist architect Ernő Goldfinger, it was later converted in the late 1990s to private residential apartments.