3. Right to Manage (RTM)
The statutory legal pathway to fire Southern Housing, take our money back, and seize control of our building's management.
The "No-Fault" Divorce
The goal is to get proportional representation, that is to say that those who pay the bills (and by extension have the voting rights) have control. Right to Manage (RTM) is how we break that cycle.
Under the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002, qualifying leaseholders have a statutory right to take over the management of their building.
- We do not need Southern Housing's permission.
- We do not need to prove they are incompetent (though we have a mountain of evidence that they are).
- We do not need to buy the freehold. It is a forced, legal transfer of power. Southern Housing has no legal grounds to block it as long as we meet the criteria (which Odyssey House does: we are vertically separated and have independent utilities).
- We do not have to have complete ownership, this arrangement is compatible with any split ownership scheme you may be on. You will continue to pay rent to Southern but you get the right to determine how it is managed.
The Power We Gain
1. The Clean Slate (Contract Power)
The RTM process legally severs the link to Southern's contractors. We stop being a tiny line-item in a £1.7 billion regional framework and start being the "Customer" in a local, competitive market. We tender the intercom repairs to local firms who actually want our business.
2. Control of the Budget
We stop paying Southern's £4654.80/year management fee. Instead, we hire a RICS-regulated agent at market rates. If they fail to fix a door, we fire them.
3. Reclaiming Our Savings
Southern Housing currently holds thousands of pounds of our money in a Reserve/Sinking fund. By law, they must transfer the entire unspent balance to our RTM bank account on the Acquisition Date.
The Numbers: 8 Signatures
To trigger the takeover, the law requires exactly 50% of the flats to participate. For our 15-unit building, that means we need 8 signatures.
Are you a Shared Owner?
As of March 2025, the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act granted shared owners 100% equal voting rights for RTM. You count as one full unit toward our 8-signature target, regardless of your equity percentage. Your lease terms with Southern do not change; only the management of the building changes.
The Three-Phase Takeover Plan
We are executing this in a precise, legally watertight sequence to ensure Southern Housing cannot mount a frivolous challenge at the Tribunal.
Phase 1: Incorporation & The Seed Fund (Current)
We form "Odyssey House RTM Company Ltd" (a Private Company Limited by Guarantee). Because Southern will inevitably drag their feet transferring our sinking fund, we collect a small "Seed Fund" (approx. £200-£300 per flat) to cover the initial legal fees, company formation, and Day 1 operational cash flow (like setting up new building insurance). This will be returned to you.
Phase 2: The Notice of Claim
Once we have our 8 signatures and seed funding, our appointed solicitor serves the formal Notice of Claim on Southern Housing.
- They have roughly 30 days to issue a Counter-Notice.
- Because our legal basis is flawless, any challenge they mount would be immediately struck down by the First-tier Tribunal.
Phase 3: The Acquisition Date
Approximately 3-4 months after the Notice of Claim is served, we hit the Acquisition Date. On this day, Southern Housing's management contract is legally terminated. Our new independent managing agent takes the reins. Day 1, the intercom gets fixed. The undelivered charges stop.
Action Plan & Status
Stage 3: Right to Manage
Next Steps: Review the Financial Review to see how we are auditing their books, or sign the mandate below to hit our target.