Ian Hollins

This a question that we are regularly asked by RTM directors, namely – can the freeholder insist we use their buildings insurance for our block? The short answer is ‘No’, as Ian Hollins of Clear Building Management explains. By securing the Right to Manage for your block, your RTM company has taken over the management functions – and this includes arranging insurance for the building. The Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 sets out that the freeholder can arrange additional insurance but that this m

Clear Building Management share advice for RMC directors facing a leaseholder request to keep a pet in their property. As flat living has become more of a lifestyle choice and the number of people live alone increases, more and more leasehold owners want to share their home with a furry friend. In late 2019, statistics suggested that more than half of UK adults own a pet, and this number has reportedly grown further during COVID-19 and lockdown. Indeed, for many of us, our four-legged companions are vital

For leaseholders wanting control over the day-to-day management of their block, obtaining ‘the Right to Manage’ is an option that can do exactly what it says on the tin. Anyone buying a leasehold property should go into it with his or her eyes open, yet even the most well informed leaseholder can feel frustrated at the lack of control over day-to-day decisions over how their property is managed, and the service charge budget allocated. By applying for the Right to Manage (RTM), leaseholder owners can take

The Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 was a turning point for leaseholder empowerment as it enabled leaseholders to take control over how their properties were managed. Provided certain criteria were met, any organised group of leaseholders could take control of the management functions of their building with minimal fuss and red tape, by applying for the Right to Manage (RTM). These criteria require that the building must be self-contained, either structurally detached or with a vertical ‘earth