What is the Action Group and what are its aims?
A volunteer group of leaseholders has formed the New Central Leaseholders’ Action Group, aiming to establish a Tenants’ Association that represents all leaseholders (flat owners) across New Central. It has Terms of Reference and a set of working groups geared to establishing the level of support from Leaseholders across New Central to creating a Tenants’ Association.
If there is enough support, the action group will follow best practice to form the association with a constitution, correct processes, and set the first Annual General Meeting (AGM)
Once the TA is formed officially (see below ), the Action Group will no longer exist – it will have achieved its task of creating the TA democratically and inclusively.
What is a Tenants’ Association vs. a Recognised Tenants’ Association?
There are two stages:
- A Tenants’ Association (TA) is a group of leaseholders (property owners) who formally organise to represent their collective interests. A Tenants’ Association (TA) provides leaseholders with a collective voice on issues that matter to us all, including service charges, building maintenance, and matters affecting residents’ wellbeing. The assocation can work collaboratively with the property management company and Landlord to provide ideas and share issues, however, it has limited power to request information or to prioritsie activities.
- A Recognised Tenants’ Association (RTA) has legal standing. Think of it like a “certified” Tenants’ Association.
Once enough leaseholders at New Central join the TA — 50% of leaseholders on site — the secretary formally asks for Recognition from the landlord to be known as a Recognised Tenants’ Association (RTA). An RTA has legal standing (see below).
Simply put, the next stage after the TA is formed is to gain sufficient support from qualifying leaseholders to apply for formal Recognition from the landlord or, if necessary, the First-tier Tribunal.
As a Recognised Tenants’ Association (RTA), it will be better placed to represent its members and work constructively with the managing agent (Centrick) and Landlord on matters affecting the development.
Formal recognition can also help us as leaseholders become more involved in consultations, receive information about matters affecting the development, and contribute to discussions that support good communication and transparency.
What is the legal Standing of a Recognised Tenants’ Association?
The legal standing an RTA gets under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, s.29 isn’t a general power to run the building — it’s a specific, statutory set of rights around service charges. The secretary of a recognised association can:
- Ask for a summary of service charge costs and inspect the accounts and receipts behind them
- Require the landlord to consult the association on service charges and management matters — not just be informed, but formally consulted before decisions are made
- Appoint a qualified surveyor under the Housing Act 1996 s.84 to independently advise on service charge matters, with rights of access to the premises and relevant documents
- Require consultation specifically on the appointment of managing agents, by serving written notice
Two things worth noting:
- Recognition can come two ways: voluntarily, by the landlord giving written notice — which many landlords do rather than go through a tribunal — or via a Tribunal certificate if the landlord refuses. Either route gives the same statutory rights.
- What it doesn’t give is a general right to run or manage the building, veto spending, or act as a substitute for Right to Manage — it’s specifically about information, consultation, and scrutiny of service charges, not day-to-day control.
Why New Central needs one
Right now, individual leaseholders have limited leverage to question service charges or challenge how the building is managed. A Recognised Tenants’ Association changes that — it gives leaseholders one legal voice, backed by statutory rights to consultation and information, instead of everyone raising concerns separately and getting nowhere.
Where we are
We’re building support to establish a Tenants’ Association at New Central. If enough leaseholders back the idea, the action group will lead the formal setup: holding an AGM to approve the constitution, elect a committee (Chair, Secretary, Treasurer), and register you as members.
Once at least 50% of leaseholders have joined, we’ll apply for formal recognition from the landlord and, if required, the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) which is the specialist tribunal in England and Wales that handles residential property and leasehold disputes — things like service charge disputes, right to manage claims, lease extensions, and disputes over Tenants’ Association recognition.
The Tenants’ Association Committee
We will publish the list of committee members after the constitution is agreed and the first AGM approves the appointments.
[Placeholder: List committee members’ names and roles here ]