Taking Control of Freehold Housing Estates: What Homeowners Need to Know in 2026

1. The Impending LAFRA Reforms: Empowering Freeholders

With the upcoming Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act (LAFRA) expected to extend rights to freehold homeowners, residents on private housing estates may soon have powers similar to leaseholders in blocks of flats. These reforms aim to make estate management more transparent, more accountable, and easier for residents to influence.

But you don’t need to wait for the law to change.

2. Opportunities to Take Control Already Exist

On the vast majority of modern housing developments, there are already legal pathways for residents to change their managing agent or take control of their estate’s Management Company.

The key is understanding the legal framework that sits underneath your development. And that starts with something many homeowners have never read: the Articles of Association.

3. Understanding Articles of Association

What Are Articles of Association?

The Articles of Association (“the Articles”) are the governing rules of your estate’s Management Company. They set out:

• who can be a director

• how directors are appointed or removed

• voting rights

• how decisions are made

• and importantly, who has ultimate control over the Management Company.

Why Do They Matter?

Because the Articles often determine whether residents can:

• appoint their own directors

• replace a managing agent

• take over control from the developer

• or, in some cases, do nothing at all without following the correct process.

Understanding them is essential before residents attempt any form of management change.

Common Scenarios We See

Here are some of the typical setups on new housing estates:

1. Developer still acting as Management Company directors

Resident directors may not yet have been appointed, meaning the developer retains control even years after the final home was sold.
This doesn’t always mean the developer wants to remain involved: it may simply be because no residents have stepped forward to take over.

2. Managing agent acting as directors

This is surprisingly common. The managing agent effectively runs the estate and controls the company, with no resident input.

3. Managing agent embedded in the property transfer documents

In some developments, the agent is named directly in the TP1s (transfer documents). This can create an impression that no change is possible, but in reality, legal routes usually exist.

4. Specific mechanisms required to change agents

Some estates include clauses requiring:

• a 50% majority vote, or

• approval by the Management Company directors before a new agent can be appointed.

So What Can Residents Actually Do?

Under all these scenarios, there are specific legal steps residents—or a representative like a managing agent—can take to facilitate a change of management.

The first and most important step is to:

1. Understand the legal setup of the development

2. Establish where control currently sits

3. Review the legal options available

4. Plan the correct route to change management

To support this, Placekeeper Management offers residents a complimentary legal review of their estate’s documentation.

4. Real-World Example

Case Study: A Resident-Led Turnaround

At a large Cheshire development, residents were frustrated by spiralling service charges and worsening grounds maintenance. The developer still held all director positions, even though construction had finished years earlier.

After reviewing the Articles and the TP1s, we established:

• residents were entitled to appoint their own directors

• the managing agent could be changed by a board decision

• the process required a simple formal notice and a meeting

Residents appointed new directors, selected a new agent, and within six months:

• service levels improved

• costs were brought under control

• communication became transparent and resident-focused

A Resident’s Feedback

“We honestly thought we were stuck with the developer and their agent forever. Placekeeper helped us understand the legal setup and guided us through every step. We now have control of our estate—and it’s made a huge difference.”

5. A Call to Arms for Homeowners

If you’re living on a freehold housing estate where:

• service charges are rising

• maintenance standards are falling

• communication is non-existent

• and you feel powerless

you are not stuck.

Placekeeper Management is here to help.

We offer a complimentary legal review of your estate’s Articles, TP1s, and management structure, along with clear advice on how residents can take control.

Take the first step today.
Reach out to us for expert guidance on improving your estate’s management.