The Right to Manage (RTM) was introduced through the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002.
It gives leaseholders the statutory right to take over the management of their property from the landlord by setting up a special company – a right to manage company.
Over the last two years 4 estates in the York area alone have removed themselves from Accent Housing and taken the right to manage. At least 10 others have preceded that. Lambert Court are going through that process at the moment.
The reasons - the inept management, excessive charges and lack of transparency.
Lambert Court approached a managing company to obtain comparable estimates of charges prior to taking on the right to manage.
The company provide regular meetings as often as residents wish.
They are fully transparent in costs.
They employ only local contractors.
Standard of service is infinitely better, it is customer focussed and costs are greatly reduced.
Cara Jackson
Head of Homeownership.Cara Jackson was appointed in May 2021 as sales manager for Accent Housing working in the same department run by Robert Bloom.
Cara Jackson is now also head of homeownership. A role that was placed on her through necessity after the original successful applicant failed to turn up for the first day in that role.
I have been told by a 'whistleblower' that they had been warned off from taking the role due to the 'toxic culture' of the organisation.
It was at this point that Cara Jackson adopted the role simply by default.
Considering how understaffed homeownership had been and the failure of safeguarding personnel the key position of manager in charge of all leasehold and shared ownership is now shared with the original role as head of sales.
Cara Jackson, since her appointment has made two clear changes that purely benefitted Accent Housing.
- Invoices will not be provided without going through the statutory process
- Residents are denied any meetings with Accent staff
Code of conducts
ARHM Code of conduct. 22.11
'Leaseholders should not have to exercise a statutory right for information before it is provided.'
ARHM Code of conduct. 10.4
'the manager should hold at least one meeting each year to which all leaseholders are invited.'
All relevant codes of conduct are simply ignored.
Langley House and Lambert Court have both taken Accent Housing to the First Tier Tribunal for overcharging and poor management.
Langley House left Accent in 2021 and achieved the right to manage. Not only were charges reduced to a reasonable figure the actual quality of the service improved dramatically. I am aware of at least another 12 estates in the North of England that have left Accent Housing for the right to manage - a clear reflection of the severe problems that exist.
The chart below outlines the huge difference in charges since Langley House acquired the right to manage.
Other estates that have recently left Accent Housing for the right to manage include;
Holmwood, Leeds.
In the process of taking Accent to the First Tier Tribunal for gross mis management. January 2024.
Lambert Court removed themselves from Accent Housing during 2023. Some of the reasons for doing so include;
Refusal to meet with residents.
Persistent financial abuse
Refusal to acknowledge inherent problems with contracts
Persistent and sustained overcharging on repairs with a failure to investigate allegations of fraud
Employing contractors nationally and refusal to produce a single invoice to validate charges.
Complete and total distrust in the ability and integrity of all those involved in 'managing' the estate.
The motivating factor in making the change was not primarily based on reducing charges. In reality Accent Housing undertake no real management of the estate - it is simply a tick box excercise devoid of any interaction with residents or understanding of their needs.
The graph below outlines the savings Lambert Court will make by invoking the RTM.
