Running a right to manage company
Granting approvals
Most leases require the leaseholder to get consent from the landlord for certain things, such as subletting, assigning the lease to a new leaseholder when they sell their flat, and making certain changes (alterations) to their flat.
The power to issue these approvals passes to the right to manage company, although you must keep the landlord informed.
Before granting any approval, you must give notice to the landlord. You must give 30 days’ notice for approvals relating to:
- assignment
- subletting
- placing a charge on the property
- parting with possession
- making structural alterations or improvements
- changing the use of the property
For all other approvals you must give 14 days’ notice.
You do not need the landlord’s specific consent. If they do not object, you can grant the approval.
You can charge for granting approval, to cover any costs.
If the landlord wants to object, they must do so by giving notice to the right to manage company and to the leaseholder (and for subletting, to the sub-tenant).
If the landlord objects, you cannot grant consent until they withdraw their objection, or the matter is decided by a tribunal.
The landlord, right to manage company or leaseholder can apply to the tribunal for a decision about approvals. You apply by submitting a form:
- in England – application form Leasehold 8
- in Wales – application form LVT1
Subletting and Airbnb
Whether leaseholders are allowed to rent out (sublet) their flats or use services such as Airbnb will depend on the terms of their lease.
The lease may prohibit or restrict subletting. It might say that only a single family or household can occupy the flat. This would prevent a flat from being used as a house in multiple occupation (HMO) for example.
Most leases will allow subletting of the whole of a flat on an assured shorthold tenancy, although the leaseholder might need consent first. The tenant may even be required to enter into a covenant not to breach the terms of their landlord’s lease.
Subletting of part of a flat is rarely allowed. Letting a room to a lodger is not classed as subletting, but it might breach a restriction that says the flat must be occupied by a single family or household.
Make sure you get the details of the tenant and any letting agent. The right to manage company is entitled to know who is occupying the building. The leaseholder is required to disclose this and cannot refuse based on GDPR, although you need to make sure you comply with GDPR rules for holding and protecting personal data.
You will also need to register with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) as a data controller, and pay an annual fee.
Find out more from the ICO about your role in processing personal data.
Consent for alterations
The lease will say whether leaseholders have the right to make alterations to their flats and whether they need the landlord’s consent. The right to manage company will be responsible for granting or refusing consent.
If you decide to give consent for an alteration, you need to do this by a licence or deed. You can charge a fee for any costs, such as a solicitor or surveyor. Ask for the fee to be paid upfront, as a condition for granting consent.
You will need to notify the freeholder before giving consent, and allow them 30 days to object. After 30 days, if they have not objected then you are free to grant consent. The freeholder cannot charge a fee for considering the request.
The following changes are unlikely to be considered alterations that need consent:
- general DIY – but check timings for building work with the council, and check any rules in the lease about noise
- drilling holes in walls to put up pictures or cupboards (this will not count as “cutting, maiming or injuring” a wall under the lease)
- replacing kitchen or bathroom fittings like-for-like, if no extra holes need to be made in outside walls
- new carpets
The following types of work might need consent, and will need to be investigated:
- new windows and double glazing, as these change the external appearance and will usually need consent if they’re replaced – check the lease to see who is responsible for the windows, and check that plans and materials are suitable for the style of the building and comply with local planning and building regulations
- removing internal walls, for example to create an open-plan kitchen/diner – check with a surveyor whether the walls are structural
- remodelling a flat to move a kitchen, bathroom or bedroom – this can create noise that affects neighbouring flats
- new flues or pipework that comes out through the walls of the flat, such as soil pipes, boiler flues or bathroom vents
- hard flooring such as wooden flooring – many leases have a carpet clause that restricts the type of floor covering leaseholders can fit, to reduce noise
- Last updated:
- 16 December 2025
- Next review:
- 16 December 2027
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