Knowledge Centre
Practical guidance, legal updates and expert advice on block management, RTM Companies, service charges, building safety, leasehold legislation and residential property management.
Written by people who manage blocks, not marketing teams
East Valley Properties regularly publishes educational articles to help directors, leaseholders and freeholders understand their responsibilities and make informed decisions. Every guide is written in plain English, kept up to date with the latest Tribunal decisions and drawn from real work on residential blocks across Romford and East London.
Featured articles
The newest legal updates and flagship guides we recommend reading first.
Building Safety Act: Upper Tribunal Clarifies the Scope of Cladding Remediation
Tribunal guidance confirms that making a building safe under the Building Safety Act may involve more than replacing the visible external cladding, with implications for RTM Companies, RMCs and leaseholders.
Does Section 20 Apply to Professional Fees?
Guidance for RTM Companies, RMCs and Freeholders on whether surveyors, engineers, architects and project managers count as qualifying expenditure and require Section 20 consultation.
Can an RTM Company Change an Unsatisfactory Lease?
A recent Upper Tribunal decision means RTM Companies may, in the right circumstances, apply to vary outdated lease provisions that prevent effective building management.
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Filter by category, sort by date or search for a specific topic - for example "Section 20", "cladding" or "RTM handover".
New Cladding Funding for Buildings Under 11 Metres: What RMC and RTM Directors Need to Know
New government funding for unsafe cladding on eligible residential buildings under 11 metres in England: who may qualify, why a FRAEW is essential, who can apply and the 9 October 2026 deadline.
Self-Managed Block Fire Safety Checklist
A practical, printable checklist for directors of RTM companies, RMCs and small self-managed blocks: fire risk assessments, fire doors, escape routes, systems, records and the frequencies that are actually statutory.
Fire Safety, Cladding and Selling Flats in Stratford: What Leaseholders Need to Know
Why external wall and fire safety issues have affected some Stratford buildings, what the Building Safety Act protects, how EWS1 and FRAEW differ, and what to ask your managing agent.
Section 22 Notices: How Much Detail Do Leaseholders Need to Give?
An Upper Tribunal decision clarifies how much detail a Section 22 preliminary notice must contain before leaseholders apply for a Tribunal-appointed manager under Section 24.
Late Service Charge Demands: Why the Dates in Your Lease Matter
An Upper Tribunal decision confirms that where a lease sets a timetable for service charge demands, missing the deadline can affect recovery - and why that is not the same as the 18-month rule.
Worried About Your Current Managing Agent Refusing to Handover? Here's Why You Shouldn't Be.
Outgoing managing agents sometimes drag their feet on handover. In practice you have clear legal rights, a defined document list you can demand and workable pressure points to move things along.
Does Section 20 Apply to Professional Fees?
Guidance for RTM Companies, RMCs and Freeholders on whether surveyors, engineers, architects and project managers count as qualifying expenditure and require Section 20 consultation.
Can an RTM Company Change an Unsatisfactory Lease?
A recent Upper Tribunal decision means RTM Companies may, in the right circumstances, apply to vary outdated lease provisions that prevent effective building management.
Building Safety Act: Upper Tribunal Clarifies the Scope of Cladding Remediation
Tribunal guidance confirms that making a building safe under the Building Safety Act may involve more than replacing the visible external cladding, with implications for RTM Companies, RMCs and leaseholders.
Insurance Commissions in Residential Block Management: What Leaseholders Should Know
How insurance commissions work in residential block management, why transparency matters, and how East Valley approaches buildings insurance on the blocks we manage.
The Right to Manage Process, Step by Step
How leaseholders take over management of their block from the freeholder - the qualifying tests, the notices, and how long it really takes in practice.
Service Charge Disputes: A Practical Guide for Leaseholders
What you can challenge, how to ask for a breakdown, when to involve the First-tier Tribunal, and how to resolve disputes without falling out with neighbours.
Section 20 Notices Explained
The Section 20 process end to end - the £250 and £100 thresholds, the three consultation stages, and how to make effective written observations.
Explore by category
Ten focused areas covering the questions we get asked most often by directors, freeholders and leaseholders.
Most popular articles
The guides most often read by RTM directors, RMC boards and leaseholders researching their next step.
- 01Changing Managing Agents
Worried About Your Current Managing Agent Refusing to Handover? Here's Why You Shouldn't Be.
Outgoing managing agents sometimes drag their feet on handover. In practice you have clear legal rights, a defined document list you can demand and workable pressure points to move things along.
11 July 2026 7 min read - 02Service Charges
Section 20 Notices Explained
The Section 20 process end to end - the £250 and £100 thresholds, the three consultation stages, and how to make effective written observations.
16 May 2026 8 min read - 03RTM & RMC Guidance
The Right to Manage Process, Step by Step
How leaseholders take over management of their block from the freeholder - the qualifying tests, the notices, and how long it really takes in practice.
16 May 2026 10 min read - 04Service Charges
Insurance Commissions in Residential Block Management: What Leaseholders Should Know
How insurance commissions work in residential block management, why transparency matters, and how East Valley approaches buildings insurance on the blocks we manage.
20 May 2026 8 min read
Need advice on your specific block?
These guides answer the questions we hear most often, but every block is different. If a legal update, a Section 20 notice or a difficult handover has raised a question about your building, speak to a real person on our team - no obligation, no sales pitch.
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