Setting up the right to manage
Setting up new management contracts
The right to manage company will need to decide whether to renew the landlord’s existing contracts for services to manage the building, or replace them with new ones.
When the management responsibility is transferred, any contracts that the landlord had will end.
The landlord must help you prepare for this by serving notices to:
- let the contractors know that management is being transferred (contractor notices)
- let the right to manage company know what contracts are in place (contract notice)
These notices should be served well before the management is transferred, so that you can arrange new contracts.
The landlord must serve them as soon as possible after receiving the notice of claim, and as soon as is reasonably practicable after the “determination date” given in the notice of claim (the date when the right to manage company is set to take over management responsibilities).
If they do not provide this information then it’s possible to enforce their responsibility through the county courts.
Important
It’s important to plan to make sure that services such as essential maintenance and utilities will continue once the right to manage company takes over.
The previous contractors do not have to contract with the right to manage company on the same terms. You need to review all the services and renegotiate contracts, or set up new arrangements.
Contractor notices
The landlord must send a contractor notice to all the contractors. This notice must:
- identify the relevant contract
- state that the right to manage is to be acquired by a right to manage company
- give the name and registered address of the right to manage company
- give the date when the company will take over (acquisition date)
- advise the contractor to contact the right to manage company if they want to continue to provide services to the building
If any services are subcontracted, the contractor who receives the contractor notice must send a copy to the subcontractor.
Contract notice
The landlord must send the contract notice to the right to manage company, to let the company know what contracts are in place. It must:
- give the details of each contract and the name and address of the contractor or subcontractor
- advise the right to manage company to contact those contractors whose services it wants to retain
The landlord does not have to provide copies of the actual contracts.
- Last updated:
- 16 December 2025
- Next review:
- 16 December 2027
Related content
About the right to manage, eligibility criteria and steps to set it up
Advice guideGuide for leaseholders taking on the director's role of a right to manage company
Advice guideYour options if you're unhappy with how your building is managed
Advice guide