Pressure for ban on new-build rip off charges grows as dozens of Tory MPs write to Michael Gove demanding change in law
DOZENS of senior MPs today wrote to Michael Gove demanding a ban on new-build rip off charges.
The group of 46 Tory backbenchers want to change the law to stop big developers dishing out bogus maintenance fees to residents.
And they want the government to take control of public spaces such as roads and parks being managed by private firms.
Around four million Brits are living in “fleeceholds”, new build estates where common spaces haven’t been adopted by local councils.
Instead private companies or developers issue large sums, often in exchange for shoddy maintenance services with little or no scope for redress.
Anguished residents have spent years crying out for action.
A 2023 review of the housing market by Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority warmed fleeceholds are “the issue that we received most concerns about” and a system that “creates significant detriment for households”.
The watchdog recommended a ban on the fleecehold model and called on government to adopt public spaces on new build estates.
Tory MPs want the Leasehold and Freehold Bill, currently making its way through parliament, to be amended to end the fleecehold model.
Writing to Mr Gove, the backbenchers said: “The government is to be commended for taking forward the first comprehensive reform of leasehold for 20 years.
“The Commons debates on the Leasehold Bill have demonstrated the problems with the unadopted, private estates model.
“As the Bill makes its way through its remaining stages, we call on the government to go further to empower residents on existing Fleecehold estates, and to end this model for new estates.
“Government should also address the unfair system of forfeiture, under which people can be threatened with the loss of their home over non-payment of small sums.”