
Photo caption: Meeting Halima Ali, the Chairwoman of Homeowners Rights Network (HorNets) when she came to Parliament to talk to the select committee examining regulation of property managers. HorNets are campaigning against ‘fleecehold’ charges
Too many local families on new build estates are being hit with sky-high ‘fleecehold’ management fees and left powerless to challenge them. And it’s not just the exorbitant management fees. When people first move in, they can also face unfinished roads, broken lights, and in one case a sinking manhole cover with no-one taking responsibility.
I’ve long called for legal changes to protect freeholders and leaseholders against ‘fleeceholder’ fees. The last Government listened and passed the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act. All it needs now is some simple secondary legislation to put it into practice - but this Government keeps dragging its feet.
I know how urgent it is that the law is changed. So, I’ve written, asked questions, and even met the Housing Minister – but I’m still getting excuses instead of action.
The Housing Minister told me that the government plans on consulting people and passing yet more legislation which will cause even more delays. I know people need action now, so together with my Conservative colleagues in Parliament, I will keep pushing them to get on with it.
When it comes to unfinished roads or shoddy work on new estates, the reality is people are left in limbo – the developer, management company, borough council or KCC will not take responsibility leaving residents stuck with extra bills.
When I pressed the Housing Minister on this, he pointed to legal routes and council powers, but in practice, these rarely deliver real help. The law just isn’t on the side of homeowners on ‘fleecehold’ estates yet.
I know people have had enough, and I want you to know I have your back. I know the changes in the law are long overdue. Along with my Conservative colleagues I will keep pressing Ministers for urgent action, and I will keep you up-to-date with progress.
I have been asking the following questions, but as you can see I have not been receiving straight answers to them:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans the Government has to address the situation on new housing estates, with incomplete or broken amenities such as roads and street lights, where the developer, estate management company and council all refuse to accept responsibility and blame each other?
Your question has been queried because This question is best directed to the Library, who have already produced a briefing paper on this topic
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what rights of redress residents on new housing estates, with incomplete or broken amenities such as roads and street lights, have when the developer, estate management company and council all refuse to accept responsibility and blame each other?
Your question has been queried because This question is best directed to the Library, who have already produced a briefing paper on this topic
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what my constituents, who live on new housing estates and are subject to exorbitant fees by management companies, should do while there are delays to implementing the necessary secondary legislation to enable the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act to come into force?
Your question has been queried because This question is best directed to the Library, who have already produced a briefing paper on this topic
This question was grouped with the following question(s) for answer:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to implement the secondary legislation enabling the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 to fully come into force.
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reasons she has yet to implement the provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 on (a) providing freeholders with equivalent rights to leaseholders on estate charges transparency and (b) allowing leaseholders to takeover the management of their property.
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November:
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-11-21/hcws244