Who we are

The Federation of Private Residents’ Associations is managed by a volunteer committee of nominated Directors and Honorary Consultants. Committee meetings are held four times a year and there is an AGM.

To find out more about our team, click here for Directors and here for Honorary Consultants.

The FPRA’s team of experts and leading professionals offer members impartial advice on a range of legal and other problems concerning their lease and the management of their blocks, whether their tenancy is Long Leasehold, Rent Act, or Assured Short-hold.

There are currently over 500 members of the FPRA, made up of  Residents’ Associations and resident owned freehold companies, including: Right To Manage Companies, Commonhold, and most other forms of Resident Groups. Our members are spread across England and Wales.

The FPRA was set up in 1971 as a non-political, non-profit making voluntary organisation by a group of residents’ associations in private-sector blocks of flats. In 1986 the FPRA formed itself into a company limited by guarantee. Its executive body is an unpaid committee of volunteers who are also directors of the company. Members of the FPRA Executive Committee may be available to assist by telephone, answer letters and attend meetings in a guest or advisory capacity.

Funding

Funding of the FPRA is derived substantially from the subscriptions of the member associations, the balance of the revenue coming from the sales of FPRA publications. The funds are used to pay for the running expenses of our office, and various costs such as hire of meeting places.

Membership

We publish a quarterly Newsletter, which is sent free to member associations. The Newsletter is both a digest of legal and lobbying news, and a forum for the exchange of ideas and information amongst member associations.

Membership of FPRA is kept affordable to individual member associations and RMCs, yet in many cases achieves considerable and instantly recognisable benefits for members in terms of specific advice, assisting with an immediate problem. However, membership should not merely be seen as a means of short-term gain, but also as a long-term investment in a powerful movement with proven ability to help bring about change for the better, by representing the needs of tenants of private-sector residential accommodation at various stages of leasehold or freehold ownership, and as a painless way of keeping abreast of current legislation.

To join the Federation of Private Residents’ Associations, click here

Instigating Change

The FPRA acts as a lobbying group to influence and instigate change, both legislative and practical in the areas of tenancy and management of residential complexes in the private sector. It acts as a conduit bringing the needs and concerns of the membership to the attentions of MPs, government departments, the media, and other interested organisations. It has been represented on working parties formed to advise government on leasehold reform.

FPRA has influenced the drafting of the 1974 and 1980 Housing Acts, the 1985 and 1987 Landlord and Tenant Acts, the Leasehold Reform Housing and Urban Development Act 1993, the Housing Act 1996, and most recently the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002. The concepts of the Statutory Recognition of Tenants’ Associations and the statutory authority for specific performance of the Landlord’s repairing covenants, were due to the persistent activity of FPRA.

FPRA also seeks to assist with problems encountered by the growing sector of retirement/sheltered housing leaseholders.