When you move into a shared building or estate, you might notice that some areas – like the hallways, gardens or parking spaces – are looked after by a managing agent.
Here we answer some of your questions about managing agents.
A managing agent is a company appointed to manage a block, estate, or land in return for a fee. They may be employed by the freeholder, a Resident Management Company, or directly by us. Their duties include the upkeep and maintenance of communal areas and buildings such as repairs, cleaning, gardening, and general maintenance. Services may vary by scheme and are carried out in line with lease terms and legal requirements.
It all depends on how your development was set up. Here are a few common reasons:
We own homes on a leasehold basis but aren’t the freeholder - in these cases, we don’t control the building and wider estate, so a managing agent may be appointed by the freeholder or Resident Management Company.
We are the freeholder - as the freeholder, we take care of our building, while shared spaces - such as unadopted roads and communal gardens - are managed by a managing agent on behalf of the Resident Management Company.
We’ve appointed a managing agent - sometimes we bring in a managing agent to manage the homes we own, especially if one is already working across the wider estate. This helps keep services consistent.
These arrangements are often set out in a Section 106 agreement - a legal agreement between developers and the local council. They help create balanced communities by ensuring new developments include affordable housing options, such as affordable or social rented and shared ownership homes. These homes form part of larger developments and are often managed by housing associations like us.
Take a look at our managing agents policy to find out how we work with managing agents.
If you live in a building or a development that has a managing agent here’s a quick guide to who is involved in managing your home and the area around it:
Whether you’re a tenant or a shared owner, your home is your space – and we’re here to help and support you.
We manage your tenancy or lease, provide day-to-day services, and act as your main point of contact for anything related to your home, building, or estate.
They legally own the land/building. Sometimes that's us, sometimes it’s a developer or another company.
This is company set up to manage the shared areas and services of your building or estate. They're usually set up by the freeholder but is run by volunteering leaseholders who work with managing agents to oversee maintenance, service contracts, and finances on behalf of all residents.
They’re hired to look after communal or external areas. What they manage varies – some cover the whole building and estate, while others just deal with the outside spaces.
Just us. Whether there’s an issue inside your home, in a shared hallway or out on the estate, we’re your first point of contact. We’ll sort it or pass it on to whoever’s responsible, for example the managing agent or freeholder.
Whether you’re a tenant or a shared owner, been with us for years or are just moving in, we’re here to help you feel at home and supported. Take a look at The Moat Offer to find out about the services you can expect from us and how we support you.
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Contact our Customer Service team. We’ll report the issue to the managing agent responsible for your building and keep you updated until the work is complete.
Total outage: We’ll report it to the managing agent and send updates to all affected customers.
Individual home: We’ll check your lease to confirm responsibility. If it’s ours, we’ll arrange a contractor - if it’s third-party providers or yours, we’ll advise you on next steps.
Your Neighbourhood Services Manager will check the head lease. If we can grant permission, we’ll confirm. If not, we’ll explain why and how to seek formal approval from the managing agent or the freeholder.
We’ll share day-to-day updates from the managing agent. For any major works, you’ll hear directly from the managing agent if you’re liable for costs. We’re here to answer any questions.
Check your MyMoat portal or contact us for dates. During inspections, we review cleaning, grounds maintenance, communal repairs, and safety. You’re welcome to join - just let us know!
Our Neighbourhood or Property Services team will be happy to explain the safety measures in place.
Report all issues to us first.
Managing agent: We escalate using their complaints process, then to the building owner if needed, and where possible consider legal action as a last resort.
Our service: Raise a complaint via phone, email, webchat, or post. We’ll explain next steps and keep you informed.
We know that life can get busy, so we’ve made it easy for you to contact us. Whether you prefer to call, email, use web chat or access your account online, we’re here to listen and help in a way that suits you best.
