Canary Riverside RTM Company

Canary Riverside’s application for Right to Manage (RTM)

Background

In March 2025 leasehold law changed, enabling the residential leaseholders at Canary Riverside to apply for the ‘Right to Manage’ (RTM). RTM is a statutory right under leasehold law that enables leaseholders to take over management of their building - even without the agreement of the landlord. Unlike Section 24 we do not have to prove the building has been badly managed, just that we meet the qualification criteria set out in the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002. More information about RTM can be found here on the LEASE website.

If the RTM application is successful, the Landlord will still own the building but the Canary Riverside RTM Company will appoint the managing agent and be responsible for things like:

  • collecting and managing the service charge

  • upkeep of communal areas (such as communal hallways and stairs) and the structure of the building (such as the roof)

  • granting permissions for things like alterations to flats and keeping a pet

  • obtaining buildings insurance

  • dealing with breaches of the lease and leaseholder complaints

Progress as at 16th June 2025

The Landlord served a counter-claim challenging the RTM Company’s right to manage Canary Riverside on 13th June 2025. On June 14th 2025 the the RTM Company filed and served an application to the FTT for the FTT to determine its right to obtain RTM in respect of Canary Riverside. At the case management hearing on 16th June 2025 the FTT judges agreed that the RTM application needed to be heard before the Section 24 applications. They have stayed the S.24 applications (ie, temporarily suspended) and the October hearing dates that had been set aside for the S.24 hearing will now be used to determine the Canary Riverside RTM Co’s application (20th-24th October) and the Secretary of State’s Remediation Costs Order application against the Landlord (27th-31st).

The FTT decision and directions from the 16th June hearing can be found here.

Progress as at 13th May 2025

Canary Riverside RTM Company’s Claim Notice was served on the Landlord on 12th May 2025, with the support of 186 apartments (>57%) whose leaseholders are Members of the Company. The Landlord has a month to accept the Notice or issue a ‘Negative Notice’, which would then lead to a FTT (First-tier Tribunal) hearing at which the Landlord will need to set out why it believes the claim is not valid.

Join the Canary Riverside RTM Company

Acquiring the Right to Manage puts Canary Riverside’s leaseholders in control of the management of their homes and investments. It will end the current risk of the Section 24 Order ending and management reverting to the Landlord - whose poor management resulted in the Tribunal removing its management responsibility in 2016.

If you are a Canary Riverside leaseholder we encourage you to join the RTM - please use the contact form below.

The Canary Riverside RTM Company Articles of Association can be found here.