Retirement Home Exit Fees
2026-06-15
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The question arises from concerns about the fairness and transparency of exit fees in retirement housing.
What recent assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of exit fees for retirement homes. A constituent unable to wind up estate since 2023 faces £15,000 service charges plus exit fees that will wipe out value from sale. Steps taken by Government to tackle excessive service charges and ban exit fees?
Event fees should be fair, transparent and communicated effectively. We consulted on measures last year to strengthen leaseholder protections including event fees and will respond to the consultation soon. Resale values are influenced by various factors but recommendations from older people's housing taskforce commented on resale values and what might be done.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not commit to specific steps or timeline for regulation of excessive service charges and exit fees ban
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
A constituent unable to wind up an estate since 2023 faces high service charges and exit fees, potentially wiping out sale value.
Unfair terms on retirement village leases are leaving grieving families in Derby trapped with huge exit fees while extortionate service charges rack up. Will the Minister support those families by addressing unfair terms?
We are looking carefully at resale values and recommendations from older people's housing taskforce in this area. I invite both my hon. Friend and the hon. Member for West Dorset to send examples they have referenced, which would be incredibly useful evidence on how the issue affects homeowners and families.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not commit to supporting families or addressing unfair lease terms directly
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
Grieving families are trapped by unfair lease terms and excessive exit fees, impacting resale value negatively.
Unfair lease terms leave grieving families in Derby trapped with huge exit fees while service charges rack up on empty properties. Will the Minister support these families by addressing unfair terms when a loved one passes away?
We are considering resale values and recommendations from older people's housing taskforce in this area. I invite both my hon. Friend and the hon. Member for West Dorset to send examples they have referenced, which would be incredibly useful evidence on how the issue affects homeowners and families.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not commit to supporting families or addressing unfair lease terms directly
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
Complaints from older people in the constituency about lack of transparency from solicitors during conveyancing processes, leading to high fees at critical times.
Will the Minister commit to going further than the report and look closely at the entire conveyancing process considering its impact on retirement housing issues?
We are carefully considering recommendations from older people's housing taskforce. Will sit down with the hon. Gentleman and discuss this issue if he would like to do so.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not commit to examining conveyancing process beyond taskforce recommendations
Response accuracy