Leases and rentals

Company structure

At present there are three companies, described below, with different responsibilities regarding the 84 flats at Woodlawn Court and 173 Upper Chorlton Road. Two of these are membership organisations for flat owners. The third is contracted to carry out administrative and management activities on behalf of the flat owners and the freehold company.

All flat owners are voting members of the first company Woodlawn Court Management Ltd (WCM Ltd) which is charged with maintaining the upkeep of the flats and gardens. It is run by a board of elected directors drawn from volunteer flat owners. The board in turn appoints the ‘managing agent’, currently a company called Realty Management, who are tasked with collecting an annual service charge from all owners in order to carry out the essential maintenance of common areas, such as organising gardeners, cleaners, window repairs and replacements and so on.

Woodlawn Freehold Ltd (WFL), a group of flat owners, bought the freehold in 2017. This was done firstly to protect against any future exploitation by a new ‘outside’ firm and secondly to enable greater local decision-making. The freehold value is divided into 84 ordinary shares of £2600 each. The initial purchase money was provided by about half of the flat owners. Each flat can only own one ordinary share in the company, the rest of the money was loaned in the form of 'redeemable preference shares'. The aim is to increase the proportion of ordinary shareholders over time. Only flat owners can own a stake in the freehold company

The freehold company WFL own the land and buildings and lease the individual flats back to the 'flat owners', for a term of 199 years up to the year 2187, in return for payment of an annual ground rent. Realty Management were appointed by WFL to administer the collection of ground rents and permission fees (see below). Flat owners who bought an ordinary share in WFL do not pay ground rent or fees. Flat owners who loaned money receive a pro-rata annual income from the freehold company.

Permission fees: The freehold company also has to grant or withhold permission for major or minor building works or other changes governed by the lease. So-called ‘permission fees’ may be charged depending on what is proposed.

The owners’ pages (login required) contain more details about subjects such as the management company, service charges, the freehold company, leases, becoming a freehold share-owner, and so on. Alternatively, do feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or would like to know more. Email us at freehold.members@woodlawnflats.co.uk to arrange a chat with one of the freehold directors.

Owners and tenants

Flat owners who sublet their flats have responsibilities under the terms of the lease. Owners must make sure that their tenants are aware of the terms of the lease and comply with them. The detailed leasehold terms can be found in the owners’ pages. In particular, there are requirements that are designed to promote the common good of the community. These relate to the use of the communal spaces, noise, parking and the keeping of pets. All residents are expected to consider the impact of their behaviour on fellow residents.

If you have any questions or problems relating to leases and rentals, you can pass them onto the managing agent, or use the email address below.