Taking Control of St. Davids Square: Right to Manage & Share of Freehold

Why are residents exploring this now?

Many leaseholders across St David’s Square have raised long‑standing concerns about how our estate is managed. Common themes include:

Rising service charges with little visibility of how money is spent
Limited transparency in accounts and procurement
Poor communication and slow response to issues
Lack of resident influence over standards, contractors, and priorities

These concerns are not unique to us. Other comparable estates have successfully addressed them by using clear legal rights already available to leaseholders.

The St David’s Square Residents Association (SDSRA) is therefore exploring two well‑established, lawful options:

Right to Manage (RTM) - residents take control of management
Share of Freehold - residents ultimately own the freehold together

This page explains both and invites you to share your views.

What is the Right to Manage (RTM)?

The Right to Manage is a statutory right under the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002. It allows leaseholders to take over the management of their building without needing to prove mismanagement.

Under RTM:

Leaseholders form a not‑for‑profit RTM company.
The RTM company appoints a professional managing agent of residents’ choosing.
Day‑to‑day management continues professionally, but under resident control.

Importantly, RTM is about control and accountability, not residents doing the work themselves.

Why start with a pilot block?

We propose starting with Goldsborough House as a pilot. This allows us to:

Test engagement and governance
Demonstrate improvements quickly
Refine the process before expanding across the estate

If a block reaches the legal threshold (50% + 1 of qualifying leaseholders), it can proceed even if the wider estate is not yet ready.

What are the benefits of RTM?

Residents typically experience:

Transparent budgets and clearer accounts
Competitive tendering of managing agents and contractors
Better value for money
Clearer communication and faster issue resolution
Greater influence over maintenance standards and priorities

Comparable estates such as New Capital Quay have achieved improved service and reduced costs through RTM.

Once RTM is established and working well, residents may choose to explore a Share of Freehold (also known as collective enfranchisement).

This is governed by the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 and allows leaseholders to buy the freehold collectively.

Why consider this later?

RTM builds experience, trust, and financial clarity. Share of Freehold is a bigger step and is best considered once residents are confident working together.

Typical benefits include:

Permanent control of the estate
No future ground‑rent escalation
Protection against sale of the freehold to third parties
Ability to grant long (e.g. 999‑year) leases

This page is not asking for commitment, only your views.

Have your say - Resident Questionnaire (Online)

Your feedback helps us understand whether there is sufficient interest to proceed.

How your data is used

Information is used only for RTM / Freehold engagement
Stored securely
Not shared with managing agents or landlords

To complete the questionnaire, please click here.