Welcome to the Federation of Private Residents’ Associations
We are a not-for-profit lease advice, support and lobbying organisation for private residential leaseholders, tenants’ and residents’ associations, Residential Management Companies and Flat Management Companies*.
We are the national voice of residents’ associations and are frequently consulted by government.
Our leasehold advisory services are free to members, who pay an annual subscription fee.
HOW TO SET UP A RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
We strongly recommend forming a Residents’ Association as the starting point in dealing with management problems in blocks of flats. Collective and coordinated action undoubtedly works. We publish the Information Pack, the starters guide to setting up a Residents’ Association, which includes a model constitution.See Publications page.
The first stage is to create the association using the FPRA guide, and then seek legal recognition (which empowers the association with some legal rights under leasehold and tenant law). Note that unrecognised associations can join the FPRA.
The FPRA is an independent organsition. It does not endorse or recommend any products, service providers or companies.
The FPRA offers a free block website to its members in association with News on the Block. The FPRA encourages leaseholders to set up residents’ associations and publishes a guide on how to do it.
The FPRA offers its members specialist legal, insurance, management, and building guidance.
We are pleased to report that the membership for 2013/14 has been frozen at the previous year’s rate.
Living City, supported by the FPRA and News on the Block, has published its latest 2013 survey report into the leasehold sector. Posted 21/05/13
Engage Liverpool represents leaseholder interests in Liverpool and is now a FPRA partner organisation. Residents’ Associations belonging to Engage Liverpool can join the FPRA without the cost of the Joining Fee. Posted 26/04/13
Insulation for flats
Sustain have announced they have ECO (Energy Company Obligation) funding for cavity wall insulation for blocks of flats which can be used even above three floors.
For more information, contact Simon White on:
01934 863 650 simon.white@sustain.co.uk
www.sustain.co.uk
Supreme Court Judgement Creates Further Section 20 Uncertainty
Section 20 as we know it has taken another legal knock, this time at the Supreme Court in the case of Daejan Investments v Benson. Broadly, the Supreme Court has ruled that technical irregularities with the bureacracy of Section 20 compliance, are not grounds for leaseholders to restrict their contribution for major works to the £250 per flat limit, that was previously believed to be the case.
Leaseholders will now have to prove that improperly served Section 20 notices have caused them unreasonable extra costs, which could be difficult and expensive to do. For FPRA Chairman Bob Smytherman, judicial decisions like this will further help unscrupulous freeholders and managers ‘ to bamboozle leaseholders into extra expense’.
A briefing on the case by FPRA Legal Advisor Dr Nick Roberts is available to members
Full Supreme Court decision
News coverage by the Guardian
LEASE’s review
Posted 8/03/13
Section 20 Consultation Process Thrown into Chaos due to Court Ruling
Just before Christmas a High Court judge appears to have ruled that the £250 limit per flat for spending on repairs and maintenance without having to consult with leaseholders, applies to the collective year’s total. Until this ruling, it was understood that the £250 applied to a particular set of works. The impact of the judgement – PHILLIPS & GODDARD V FRANCIS is only now filtering through the leasehold community.
“Absolutely this is the most far reaching decision in years and could affect everyone who deals with management of any type of residential property in the future”, says FPRA Consultant Colin Cohen.
Full story here
Posted 16/01/13
The FPRA keeps its members informed about current issues and events affecting leaseholders.
The FPRA publishes a quarterly 12 page newsletter for its members (a sample copy of the Newsletter can be purchased for £3.50 inc. p&p)
The FPRA publishes information guides and booklets, which are available to non-members.
The FPRA is a vital information resource for leaseholders, with articles, news, newsletters and article index, forms to download, and a discussion forum.
So if you … are a leaseholder in a block of flats, have problems with your freeholder, need to form a residents’ association, part-own the freehold and/ or manage your own block, the FPRA can help.
* ‘Flat Management Company’ is a description recently adopted by Companies House
Email – info@fpra.org.uk
Phone – 0871 200 3324 (weekday mornings)
OFT secures changes from Fairhold in retirement homes transfer fees investigation. OFT 6/09/12
CentreForum report ‘A new lease of life: making leasehold fit for the 21st centry’ released 20 August 2012. See also FPRA press release.
Latest FPRA Press Releases
9 November 2012
Will ‘flagship’ Green Deal work for leasehold flat owners to end fuel poverty, and create jobs and growth?
10 September 2012
Gas Safe Week: FPRA pledges its support and calls on the public to be Gas Safe.
20 August 2012
FPRA welcomes all-party support for Centre Forum’s proposals to end ‘legal torture’ of flat owners in England and Wales.
4 August 2012
A new Independent Appeals Service (IAS) starts on 1 October 2012 to adjudicate on parking disputes on private land. The FPRA hopes it will help flat owners confronted by illegal parking.
21 June 2012
Flat owner shares his experience of recovering £137,000 from landlord via the LVT.
FPRA Press Release Archive