In short
RMC directors owe the general duties of all company directors under the Companies Act 2006, and the company must perform the obligations it has under the leases, including repair, insurance and service charge obligations. Day-to-day work can be delegated to a managing agent; responsibility for decisions stays with the board.
Duties as a company director
Under the Companies Act 2006 every director must act within the company's powers, promote the success of the company for the benefit of its members, exercise independent judgment, exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence, avoid conflicts of interest, not accept benefits from third parties and declare any interest in proposed transactions. The company must also meet its Companies House filing obligations, and directors must now complete Companies House identity verification.
Duties under the leases
If the RMC is a party to the leases, it takes on whatever the leases require: typically repairing the structure and common parts, insuring the building, providing services, preparing service charge budgets and accounts, and consulting under Section 20. It is also usually the "responsible person" for fire safety in the common parts.
What can be delegated
A managing agent can carry out almost all of the practical work: collecting and accounting for service charges, arranging repairs, running compliance checks, placing insurance, running Section 20 consultations and preparing board papers and minutes. What cannot be delegated is the board's responsibility for decisions and for choosing and supervising the agent.
Protecting yourself
- Keep minutes that record what was decided and why.
- Declare any conflicts, for example if a relative is a proposed contractor.
- Take professional advice on technical and legal matters and record that you did.
- Make sure the company has directors' and officers' insurance.
- Make sure you can see the building's records. With EKIN, named directors have permission-controlled access to an agreed set of current records.
Last reviewed 2026-09-23 against the sources listed. This page is general information about England and is not legal advice; the lease for your building always comes first.