On Monday, during Levelling Up, Housing and Communities question time in Parliament, Richard raised the issue of freehold homeowners having the same rights as leaseholders to challenge excessive estate management fees, lack of transparency and poor service by estate management companies.
The Minister confirmed that the government is committed to building on the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 and delivering the second phase of its major two-part leasehold reform programme within this Parliament. This will make it easier for leaseholders to purchase their freeholds and will establish greater fairness between those parties.
Richard Fuller MP said:
Many residents in North East Bedfordshire are being charged excessive “estate manager” fees and this week I raised freehold homeowners' rights to challenge estate management companies with the Housing and Planning Minister, Lucy Frazer during, to bring parity with leaseholders' rights.
Several Councillors in my constituency; Jim Weir in Great Denham, Sarah Gallagher in Shortstown and Steve Dixon in Stotfold, Fairfield and Langford have all worked hard to raise the issue of excessive fees, a lack of transparency and poor service provided by many estate management companies.
Homeowners often feel powerless to hold these companies to account given the monopoly they enjoy in their communities.
I was reassured by the Minister's commitment to provide greater rights for homeowners on privately managed estates as well as the requirement for such companies to join a redress scheme.
We should go further and change the terms of reference of the Property Ombudsmen to make it easier for home owners to challenge these unfair practices.
Richard's question and the Minister's response can be watched here.
