RTM transition for a 32-unit new-build in Stratford

Brief

Leaseholders had escalating service charges, no recent FRA action plan progress, and a managing agent that took an average of nine days to respond to emails. The leaseholders had already formed an RTM steering group when they approached us.

The situation before we took over

• •Service charges rising year on year with no clear explanation
• •Open FRA actions over 18 months old with no tracked plan
• •Average email response from previous agent: around 9 working days
• •Companies House filings overdue
• •Long-term cleaning, gardening and lift contracts never re-tendered

Actions taken

• •Reviewed qualifying tests and confirmed the block qualified
• •Supported the RTM company on the statutory Notice of Claim and counter-notice process
• •Ran a structured handover from the outgoing agent, including bank balance reconciliation and contractor schedule
• •Took on management at the contractual termination date with no payment gap to contractors
• •Re-tendered three live long-term agreements (cleaning, gardening, lift maintenance) within the first six months
• •Refreshed the Fire Risk Assessment and built a tracked action plan

Outcomes

• •Service charge budget reduced by around 11% in the first full year, primarily through cleaning and lift contract re-tender
• •All outstanding FRA actions closed within nine months
• •Average email response time brought below two working days
• •Companies House filings brought back up to date

Before and after