Celebrating World NGO Day
World NGO Day is an internationally recognised occasion honouring the remarkable contributions of over 10 million NGOs and non-profit organisations around the globe.
Established in 1971 by a group of volunteers as a charitable, not-for-profit organisation, Retirement Lease Housing Association (RLHA) had a simple vision; to pioneer the development of sheltered retirement housing for sale. Now under the umbrella of ELM Group, we’ve been making a significant impact in the leasehold retirement housing sector and have built a reputation over the past 54 years for delivering high-quality, bespoke, and responsive services grounded in ethical standards and practices.
In 2023, we proudly celebrated the 50th anniversary of the UK’s very first leasehold independent living retirement development, established by RLHA in 1973 and still managed by us today. This landmark development initiated a series of groundbreaking initiatives, including the creation of England’s first shared-ownership estate in 1976, which laid the foundation for Leasehold Schemes for the Elderly (LSE). The lease for this pioneering project became the standard model for LSE Estates, and RLHA was subsequently appointed as the managing agent for the UK’s first two retirement estates to enfranchise.
We firmly believe that all leaseholders deserve access to a transparent and ethical service. This belief has driven our long-standing advocacy for the regulation of the leasehold housing industry, aiming to elevate overall standards. We’ve been able to demonstrate that it is certainly possible to operate successfully as an ethical landlord and managing agent, and we pride ourselves on serving as a model for best practice in the industry.
Rather than setting low fees to attract business, we charge fair management fees reflecting our extensive in-house processes ensuring best possible value for leaseholders and an upfront service to landlords/freeholders. This has allowed us to achieve a business model which is not and never will be reliant on commissions.
As an independent, not-for-profit business, we’re also accountable to a board of trustees which considers the diverse needs and perspectives of the residents living on our managed estates, and we have appointed two leaseholder members to The Board to ensure our other leaseholders (customers) have a voice at the highest level.
As we reflect on our journey and the broader impact of NGOs worldwide, we remain committed to our mission of providing exceptional service while upholding the highest ethical standards in the housing sector.
If you’re a landlord, housing association or ‘Right to Manage’ company looking for an ethical property management provider, you can find out more about us by visiting: https://www.elmgroup.org.uk/our-services.