Living in a block of flats can be a great experience when the building is managed properly. Sadly, this isn’t always what happens in the UK. One survey found that more than half of leaseholders have experienced problems with their leasehold property, including steep service charges and maintenance fees, as well as little to no say over which major works are carried out. The good news is that UK law gives leaseholders the option to claim the right to manage (RTM) their building, even if there is a strict process involved. They can do this by forming their own company or by entrusting their building to one of the best block management companies in London.
To find out what 1,257,882 opinions of flat leaseholders in the UK were about right to manage (RTM), we utilized AI-driven audience profiling to synthesise insights from online discussions for 12 months, ending on April 30, 2026, to a high statistical confidence level. Our findings provide a clearer view of current sentiments on the subject.
Index
- Rising service charges significantly motivate 52% of flat leaseholders to consider the right to manage
- Service charge management has a decisive effect on 36% of flat leaseholders’ right to manage explorations
- Pursuing right to manage rights in 2026 a priority for 80% of leaseholders
- 100% of flat leaseholders are slightly concerned about right to manage claim costs
- How do flat leaseholders rate service charge transparency in right to manage cases?
- Current freeholders communicate well with 100% of flat leaseholders
- 22% of flat leaseholders think the current leasehold law is balanced
- 50% of flat leaseholders are fully familiar with the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act
- 47% of flat leaseholders rarely review leases in relation to right to manage options
- 33% of flat leaseholders are fully confident in exercising their right to manage claim
- 81% of flat leaseholders are moderately prepared to form a right to manage company
- Fellow leaseholder support is important for 90% of leaseholders for right to manage
- 64% of flat leaseholders are neutral about recommending right to manage to other residents
- 53% of flat leaseholders in the UK work in property or construction
- Liverpool is home to 39% of flat leaseholders
- Collective action shaping the future of block management
- About the data
How have rising service charges motivated flat leaseholders to look into right to manage routes?
Rising service charges significantly motivate 52% of flat leaseholders to consider the right to manage
Service charges a major motivator:
Rising service charges are undeniably an issue for many flat leaseholders in the UK. In 2025, the average annual service charge was £2,405 (that’s more than £200 per month), representing a 4.6% increase from 2024 and a 32.6% rise over the past five years. With steep increases like these, it’s understandable that at least some leaseholders are considering their options for managing their block.
Just over half (52%) of flat leaseholders say rising service charges have been a significant motivation to look into right to manage routes, suggesting they’re feeling the pinch and are hoping to find a more cost-effective alternative to their current situation.
However, not everyone feels the same way. For 47%, rising service charges haven’t motivated them at all, while for 2%, the increases have done very little to motivate them to look into right to manage routes. This is either because the cost isn’t a major issue or because they don’t know what their options are.
How do service charges influence flat leaseholders’ right to manage choices?
Service charge management has a decisive effect on 36% of flat leaseholders’ right to manage explorations
Service charges are a deciding factor to some degree:
Flat leaseholders’ opinions on how much service charge management has affected their decisions to explore right to manage routes are split three ways – and almost evenly, at that. For some, the right to manage option absolutely is viable (and preferred), as it lets some leasehold property owners take over management of the building, even without the agreement of the landlord. For 36%, service charge management has had a decisive effect on their decision to explore these routes, which is likely because they think they could do a cheaper, more efficient job.
For 33%, service charge management has had a moderate effect, so they’re considering their options if they feel they need to make a decisive change in the future. The remaining 31% feel this has had no effect at all, which means they’re happy with the status quo.
Is pursuing the right to manage a priority for flat leaseholders in 2026?
Pursuing right to manage rights in 2026 a priority for 80% of leaseholders
Priorities focus on pursuing rights:
As the previous statistics have implied, some flat leaseholders have stronger feelings about right to manage rights than others. 20% of our audience say pursuing their rights in this regard is a high priority, which means they’re clearly unhappy with their current situation. Another 20% say this is a low priority, as they have more important issues to attend to first.
Pursuing right to manage rights is a moderate priority for yet another 20%, which tells us that they don’t feel the need to take action immediately. Still another 20% feel this isn’t a priority at all, as they’re happy with the way things are. The remaining 20% position it as a top priority, as they’re desperate to make a change.
How concerned are flat leaseholders about the costs involved in pursuing a right to manage claim?
100% of flat leaseholders are slightly concerned about right to manage claim costs
Costs are a consideration:
While right to manage doesn’t involve purchasing the freehold itself, there are a variety of costs involved in pursuing a right to manage claim. These costs should cover making the claim and a set-up fee, which could see leaseholders paying at least £200 each, depending on the number of flats in the block. However, if the freeholder challenges your claim, the cost of the application may increase by £3,000 to £5,000 as a result of legal costs.
That said, 100% of flat leaseholders are only slightly concerned about the costs involved in pursuing a right to manage claim, as the costs would be shared.
How do flat leaseholders rate service charge transparency in right to manage cases?
How do flat leaseholders rate service charge transparency in right to manage cases?
Opinions about transparency differ in similar degrees:
Transparency, especially when service charges are involved, is essential for building trust. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case in right to manage situations, as opinions about the transparency of service charges indicate. 20% rate the transparency as excellent, indicating they know exactly what they’re paying for and are happy with what they’re being charged, while another 20% rate it as poor, which means they feel they’re not being provided with sufficient information.
Still another 20% rate the transparency of service charges related to their right to manage situation as fair, as there’s room for improvement. 20% rate it as good, acknowledging a high level of transparency, even if they feel they would benefit from more information. The remaining 20% rate it as very poor, which tells us that their block management company keeps them in the dark.
Leaseholder transparency concerns persist after new legislation
It’s surprising that 40% of our audience are unhappy with the level of service charge transparency, as the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 introduced various reforms aimed at improving home ownership for leaseholders in England and Wales. Among these reforms are measures to improve their rights and help them hold their landlords to account by increasing the transparency of service charges and building insurance policies, enabling leaseholders to review and challenge unfair charges and fees, and the reasonableness of what they’re paying for.
How well do freeholders communicate with flat leaseholders about right to manage matters?
Current freeholders communicate well with 100% of flat leaseholders
Communication is clearly a priority:
Although some flat leaseholders are unhappy with the level of transparency around service charges, it’s a different story when it comes to how well their current freeholders communicate with them about right to manage matters.
100% agree that their current freeholder communicates well, meaning they receive regular updates and ad hoc communications when necessary, and that these updates are comprehensive. Our audience likely receives communications across different platforms, such as text messages, email, or WhatsApp, Telegram, or similar groups.
How much do flat leaseholders think leasehold law favours freeholders?
22% of flat leaseholders think the current leasehold law is balanced
Opinions on the current bias of the law vary:
It’s positive to see that 22% of flat leaseholders agree that current leasehold law is balanced, favouring neither freeholders nor right to manage applicants. In their view, current legislation recognises and protects the rights of both. However, 21% find that the law strongly favours leaseholders over freeholders, which wasn’t the case in the past.
Until recently, the situation was widely regarded as being the other way round, with freeholders being favoured over leaseholders. 20% feel this is still the case, with currently law strongly favouring freeholders.
19% agree somewhat, saying legislation slightly favours freeholders, although this opinion still recognises that leaseholder rights are acknowledged and protected. 18% tend to agree that leaseholders are favoured slightly, which may be a recognition on their part that some improvements have been made.
Correcting the bias
Even the government recognises that, traditionally, the law was biased toward freeholders, which is why it is taking steps to correct the imbalance, favouring leaseholders rather than freeholders. Prior to 2025, the law usually allowed freeholders to obstruct the right to manage process through stringent qualification criteria and high legal costs.
This is being changed with the introduction of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 and subsequent reforms, some of which are already in force.
How well do flat leaseholders understand the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act?
50%of flat leaseholders are fully familiar with the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act
Legal familiarity is widespread:
The 2002 Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act is one of the most important pieces of legislation for leaseholders, as it introduced the right to manage. Thanks to it, leaseholders can take control of some rights otherwise held by the freeholder to manage their properties more actively. However, the act isn’t much help to leaseholders who don’t know about it.
Fortunately, half (50%) of our audience are fully familiar with the act in relation to right to manage leaseholder rights. This enables them to spot irregularities or when they’re being taken advantage of by the freeholder and to seek legal recourse. The other 50% are somewhat familiar with the act, which is encouraging, as they know where to turn if they are unsure of their rights.
How often do flat leaseholders review lease agreements in relation to right to manage?
47% of flat leaseholders rarely review leases in relation to right to manage options
Lease review is limited:
It’s important for leaseholders to review lease agreements in relation to their right to manage position, as the lease stipulates what powers and responsibilities the right to manage company will receive. The lease also dictates service charge structures, maintenance obligations, building exclusions, and qualifying tenant status. Reviewing lease agreements regularly ensures everyone is kept in the loop, but this isn’t necessarily what happens in practice.
Almost half (47%) of flat leaseholders admit they rarely review their lease agreements. Unfortunately, this is something that may lay the foundation for confusion and misunderstandings. Marginally better are the 16% who say they occasionally review their leases, which they may do to refresh their memory from time to time.
Another 16% regularly review their leases, while a further 16% review theirs very frequently. Clearly, both these segments understand the importance of doing so. Only 6% never review their leases in relation to their right to manage position, which either reflects a high level of trust in their block management company or apathy.
How confident do flat leaseholders feel in exercising a right to manage claim?
33% of flat leaseholders are fully confident in exercising their right to manage claim
Confidence levels are generally high:
The process of exercising a right to manage claim is a stringent one as far as flat leaseholders are concerned. To qualify for the right to manage, tenants must be long leaseholders (having a lease of at least 21 years unless it was granted in breach of terms of a superior lease and there hasn’t been a waiver by the freeholder).
Additionally, the lease cannot be a business tenancy, and no flat can have more than one qualifying tenant. If there is a joint tenancy, the leaseholders are regarded jointly as the qualifying tenant. If there are multiple long leases, the leaseholder with the superior lease is the qualifying tenant. Also, the right to manage company must give notice inviting all qualifying tenants who haven’t yet agreed to become members to participate.
Within two weeks of giving notice, the company must give notice of claiming the right to manage to every person who is a landlord under a lease of the whole or part of the premises, any other party to the leases, and anyone at that time appointed to manage the building.
What flat leaseholders think about the process
This process may sound daunting, but 33% of our audience feel fully confident in the process of exercising a right to manage claim, which sounds like they’ve done their homework and worked with solicitors to ensure everything runs smoothly.
24% feel slightly confident, which may be due to not being fully familiar with the process or to the possibility of the freeholder trying to obstruct the process. 22% feel moderately confident, while another 22% feel quite confident, potentially because they’re new to the right to manage concept and the processes involved, and may not have worked with solicitors.
How prepared are flat leaseholders to form a right to manage company?
81% of flat leaseholders are moderately prepared to form a right to manage company
Flat leaseholders are minimally prepared to form a company:
Forming a right to manage company is part of the journey to exercising this right. But as can be expected, not all leaseholders feel 100% ready to do this. The overwhelming majority (81%) feel only moderately prepared, as they still have some work to do before taking this step. In contrast, 12% are well prepared, as they’ve sought advice and familiarised themselves with the law.
5% are not prepared at all, which means they’re either in the early stages of the journey or they haven’t done the necessary background work. Just 1% are fully prepared, which suggests they’re ready to take this important step. The remaining 1% are slightly prepared, acknowledging they still have much work to do.
These opinions show how valuable strong block management can be, providing structure, guidance, and clarity that help leaseholders feel supported without having to take on the burden themselves.
How much do flat leaseholders rely on fellow support for right to manage?
Fellow leaseholder support is important for 90% of leaseholders for right to manage
Collective buy-in matters:
Some tenants might not be interested in joining a right to manage effort (although they would still need to be invited to participate). One potential reason for this is that they’re unaware of the importance of a collective effort in this regard.
A quarter (25%) of flat leaseholders understand that it’s very important to them that fellow residents join a right to manage effort collectively, which means they understand the implications of doing so. For 23%, this is only slightly important, which could be because they feel enough of the other leaseholders in their building are involved.
Another 23% feel it’s absolutely essential that their fellow residents get involved, as this would present a united front and ensure no one is excluded from important decisions regarding the management of their building. 19% say it’s moderately important – again, they may have sufficient residents onboard. However, 10% this is not important at all, either because they feel fully confident in their abilities or aren’t fully aware of how much of a difference having their fellow residents involved can make.
The segments that say their fellow residents’ involvement is very important or absolutely essential hit the nail on the head. While the law states that only 50% of the flat owners in a block are required to initiate the right to manage process, greater participation is essential for the funding, smooth operation, and success of the right to manage company.
How likely are flat leaseholders to recommend a right to manage approach?
64% of flat leaseholders are neutral about recommending right to manage to other residents
Recommendations are not always likely:
Not all flat leaseholders are enthusiastic about recommending a right to manage approach to other owners in their block, although this isn’t to say they’re dead against doing so. Rather, 64% have neutral feelings about doing so, which may be because they’ve delegated someone to approach the other flat owners in their block.
The remaining 36% are very likely to recommend this approach to other flat owners in their building, as they believe claiming the right to manage will ensure better management and therefore a better experience for all concerned.
What industry are flat leaseholders currently working in?
53% of flat leaseholders in the UK work in property or construction
More than half of our audience works in one of two sectors:
The flat leaseholders in our audience represent a variety of industries, with some better represented than others. Slightly more than half (53%) currently work in property or construction, while 35% work in the finance or legal industries.
This is understandable, as people in the property and legal industries are likely to be at least somewhat familiar with the right to manage concept. 9% work in retail, hospitality, or other industries, and 2% work in technology or media. Only 1% work in healthcare or education.
Which city do flat leaseholders currently reside in?
Liverpool is home to 39% of flat leaseholders
Our audience is scattered across five main cities:
Along with representing different industries, our audience also represents different parts of England. 39% of flat leaseholders currently reside in Liverpool, while 20% are based in Leeds. 19% currently live in London, which is surprising, given that the city is the UK’s most populous city. 16% live in Birmingham, and 7% in Manchester.
Leasehold ownership is most common in England. According to one estimate, 36% of homes in London are leasehold, which is the highest in the country. Looking at England, around 94% of owner-occupied flats and 71% of privately rented flats are leasehold. In numbers, there are approximately 3.5 million leasehold flats in the country.
Collective action shaping the future of block management
The right to manage means flat leaseholders no longer need to be at the mercy of freeholders when it comes to the management of their buildings. Instead, they can claim their rights and form a company to ensure their building is managed efficiently and according to their standards, even if it means facing a legal battle with the freeholder.
However, this isn’t a decision to be made lightly or without first ensuring they understand their responsibilities or legal obligations. Thankfully, the majority of UK flat leaseholders seem to take the right to manage and the process of claiming it seriously. From what we’ve seen, it’s highly likely that more and more leaseholders will move in this direction in the future.
Strong block management can play a key role in this journey, helping leaseholders understand and meet responsibilities, maintain compliance, and keep buildings running smoothly once control is established.
About the data
Sourced using Artios from an independent sample of 1,257,882 opinions of Flat leaseholders in the UK across X, Quora, Reddit, Bluesky, TikTok, and Threads. Responses are collected within a 95% confidence interval and 5% margin of error. Results are derived from what people describe from opinions expressed online, and not from actual questions answered by people in the sample.