Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Leasehold Reform

Monday 14 July 2025 · 5 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 5 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Andrew Pakes raised concerns about unfair charges and poor management by FirstPort in Peterborough.
  • Kevin Bonavia highlighted a constituent's
  • Sam CarlingFletton Quays150%

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Andrew Pakes Labour (Co-op) Peterborough
Housing
Context

Residents in Peterborough, specifically on Hammonds Drive and Manor Drive managed by FirstPort, face unfair service charges, lack of transparency, poor communication, and bad services. They are seeking peace of mind and justice.

Question

I have been contacted by more than 300 residents in Peterborough about problems relating to FirstPort’s leasehold and management service charges. They face unfair charges, a lack of transparency, bad communication and poor services. Residents in, for example, Hammonds Drive and Manor Drive are fed up with getting a second-class service. What is my right hon. Friend doing to help residents in places like Peterborough get the peace of mind and justice that they so deserve?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Angela Rayner)

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise this issue. Many Members from across the House have found that too many leaseholders suffer as a result of poor-quality services from managing agents. We are consulting on proposals to strengthen the regulation of managing agents, including a proposal to make minimum professional qualifications mandatory.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The response did not specify actions against FirstPort or address the specific issues raised by Peterborough residents directly.

How: Under Review, Consultation

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Q2 Kevin Bonavia Lab Stevenage
Housing
Context

A constituent of Kevin Bonavia, Ed, has been trapped in an unsellable flat due to the building failing its EWS1 assessment. He faces uncapped and unregulated service charges, the threat of disconnection, and a decrease in property value by over £70,000.

Question

My constituent Ed, a leaseholder in Monument Court, Stevenage, has been trapped for years in an unsellable flat after the building failed its EWS1 assessment because Higgins Homes had not followed its own architectural plans. He has faced uncapped and unregulated service charges and utility billing, and the threat of disconnection, while seeing the saleable value of his property decrease by more than £70,0 seven thousand pounds. Will the Secretary of State consider introducing a statutory route through which people like Ed can pursue legal action against a developer without bearing the full cost burden?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Angela Rayner)

I am very sorry to hear about Ed’s situation. The Building Safety Act 2022 protects qualifying leaseholders from uncapped costs relating to non-cladding remediation. When remediation is not progressing, leaseholders can apply to the tribunal for remediation orders, which can compel relevant landlords to fix relevant defects in their buildings, as well as for remediation contribution orders, which require developers to pay towards the costs of the remediation.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The response did not address the statutory route question directly and instead referenced existing protections under the Building Safety Act 2022.

How: Existing Legislation

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Q3 Sam Carling Lab Fletton Quays
Housing
Context

Leaseholders at Fletton Quays are reporting a significant increase in service charges and receiving bills from Gateway Properties. The property is under warranty, but faults are being addressed by Gateway which has increased the service charge.

Question

At Fletton Quays in my constituency, managed by Gateway Properties, leasehold residents are reporting that service charges have increased by as much as 150% in the last two years. Flats are under warranty and faults should be fixed by Weston Homes, which built the property, but instead are being fixed by Gateway, which has increased the service charge and, I understand, has even been sending separate bills on top. I know that the Government have been keen to address issues relating to high service charges and the need for financial transparency for leaseholders; can the Secretary of State provide an update on that work?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Angela Rayner)

Unjustified service charges are wholly unacceptable, and I strongly recommend that the homeowners obtain legal advice. The Leasehold Advisory Service, for instance, gives free legal advice to leaseholders. Developers are typically responsible for rectifying defects within the first two years of the warranty period; even if no warranty claim is made, developers are still liable, and should not pass charges on to leaseholders. Unreasonable service charges may be challenged at the first-tier tribunal.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The response did not provide specific updates or actions regarding financial transparency for leaseholders.

How: Existing Advice Services

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Q4 Peter Swallow Lab Bracknell
Housing
Context

Residents are blocked from having pets by a clause in their head lease, and seek measures to address this issue.

Question

Through the Government’s landmark Renters’ Rights Bill, we are doing much to address the inequities of the rental sector for constituents in Bracknell and across the country—for instance, we are extending the right to request a pet. Now the Government are turning our attention to reforming leasehold. My right hon. Friend will know that many leaseholders are also blocked from having a pet by a clause in their head lease. What can we do to deal with that?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Angela Rayner)

I know that my hon. Friend has already spoken to the Minister for Housing and Planning about this issue, and that those discussions will continue. As you well know, Mr Speaker, pets bring joy, happiness and comfort to their owners, while also supporting their mental and physical wellbeing. We have strengthened the rights of private tenants to keep pets in the Renters’ Rights Bill, and we will of course keep the position of leaseholders with pets under review.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The response did not provide specific measures addressing head leases blocking pet ownership for leaseholders.

How: Under Review

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Q5 Jim Shannon DUP Strangford
Housing Northern Ireland
Context

The issues with the leasehold system have been debated in Westminster Hall and this Chamber, highlighting the need for legal protection for everyone. The situation is slightly different in Northern Ireland but requires similar legal protections.

Question

I thank the Secretary of State for her answers. The issues with the leasehold system, and the need for legal protection for everyone, have been set out in debates in Westminster Hall and this Chamber, and I very much welcome the Government’s commitment to changes. The leasehold system here is slightly different from that in Northern Ireland, but the legal protections need to be the same. Will she have discussions with the relevant Minister in Northern Ireland to ensure that what happens here can happen for us in Northern Ireland, and that we will be given the same protection?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Angela Rayner)

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. We do work with the devolved nations, not just to show them what we are doing, but to learn from them. We have seen that the housing situation is not an England-only situation; the issues affect the whole of the UK, and we all need to learn from each other. Hopefully, the reforms that we are bringing through will be informed by the devolved nations, but we will also have some learnings for them. We need to work together in lockstep to protect people, wherever they are in the United Kingdom.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not explicitly commit to having discussions with the relevant Minister in Northern Ireland

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