Block Management
Block management is the day-to-day running of a building held on long leases — collecting and accounting for service charges, keeping the block compliant, maintaining the common parts, and answering to leaseholders for all of it. We act for freeholders, resident management companies and RTM companies across the UK.
Get a block management proposal
Send the address, number of units, current agent and renewal date. We'll come back with a written per-unit fee and a scope of service.
What block management includes
- Service charge budget setting, demands, collection and arrears recovery
- Client accounting with year-end accounts certified in line with the lease and the RICS Service Charge Residential Management Code
- Statutory compliance: fire risk assessments, asbestos, legionella, electrical and lift inspections, with an action tracker
- Buildings insurance placement, renewal and claims handling, with commission disclosed
- Planned preventative maintenance schedules and reserve fund modelling
- Section 20 consultation for qualifying works and long-term agreements
- Contractor procurement, tendering and supervision on site
- Company secretarial support for RMC and RTM companies, including AGMs and filings
- A named manager, a 24/7 emergency line, and a portal leaseholders can actually use
Who we act for
| Client | What they need most |
|---|---|
| Freeholders and investors | Reliable service charge income, compliance risk off their desk, and asset value protected |
| Resident management companies | Directors' duties covered, transparent accounts, and someone else absorbing the leaseholder correspondence |
| RTM companies | A clean handover from the previous agent and immediate control of budget and contractors |
| Developers | Setting up the management structure, the first budget and the handover to residents |
| Mixed-use schemes | Commercial and residential service charge schedules kept properly apportioned and separate |
How we are different from a large agent
The complaint about block management is always the same: nobody answers, the accounts are late, and the contractor is whoever the agent owns a stake in. Our model addresses those three directly.
- One named manager per block, reachable directly, with a portfolio size that allows site visits
- Accounts prepared to a fixed timetable, with the draft to the directors before it goes to leaseholders
- No contractor ownership; every qualifying job tendered and the tenders shown to you
- Insurance commission disclosed in writing at every renewal, or fee-only if you prefer
Getting started
Most instructions begin with an unhappy block rather than a new one. Switching is more straightforward than directors expect: check the notice period in the current management agreement, serve notice, and we handle the handover — funds, records, contracts, insurance, compliance documentation and the leaseholder communication.
Frequently asked questions
What is block management?
Block management is the professional management of a building of flats held on long leases: setting and collecting the service charge, keeping the building compliant and insured, maintaining the common parts, consulting leaseholders on major works, and accounting for the money. It is distinct from letting or tenancy management, which concerns individual flats.
What does a block manager do day to day?
Handles leaseholder correspondence, instructs and supervises contractors, inspects the site, tracks compliance actions, monitors the service charge budget against spend, chases arrears, manages insurance and claims, and reports to the freeholder or RMC board.
How much does block management cost?
It is normally charged per unit per year, with the rate depending on the number of units, the complexity of the building and whether there are lifts, plant or commercial elements. Small blocks cost more per unit than large ones. We quote a written per-unit fee with the scope attached rather than a headline rate.
Can leaseholders change their managing agent?
If an RMC or RTM company holds the management function, its directors can change agent by serving notice under the management agreement. Where the freeholder appoints the agent, leaseholders' routes are the right to manage, an application to appoint a manager at the First-tier Tribunal, or collective enfranchisement.
Do you manage small blocks?
Yes. Small blocks are frequently the worst served, because large agents price them out or ignore them. Tell us the unit count and we will quote honestly, including telling you if self-management with our accounting and compliance support would serve you better.