Robert Jenrick promises law reform for property freehold owners on managed estates
The MP for Newark has promised to make progress in a campaign for housing law reform.
Robert Jenrick has been campaigning for a law change to give better protection to people who own freehold properties living on privately managed estates.
His pledge comes after concern from Fernwood Parish Council freehold owners about the progress surrounding the campaign, as uncertain property management company fees put them at a disadvantage compared to leasehold owners.
"We are continuing the long-running campaign to achieve a more equitable outcome for home owners in the future, in respect to the management company that manages homes in Fernwood. As a result we have contributed to potential change in law reform to freehold property owners because of how difficult it is for residents to change their management company," explained Robert Jenrick.
At a joint meeting requested by the Parish Council's planning and strategy committee on July 5, they and the Newark MP further discussed taking the campaign to Parliament to ensure freehold owners on managed estates – not just in Fernwood – obtain the same rights in law as leasehold owners currently do.
These rights include having control over the level of maintenance and management fees charged by private management companies who can raise payments, ask for additional charges for buying and selling their homes, changing their mortgage or making alterations to their house.
Robert Jenrick said: "At the meeting we decided what more we could do to progress and organised a meeting with a housing minister to assess what more we can do because it is unnecessarily expensive for residents who don't have as much control over their properties.
"This law change will make it easier for residents to come together and change management company when the current one is not performing, ensuring they can take back control of their properties and money."
In a statement, the Parish Council said they contacted Robert Jenrick for an update in relation to the potential change in legislation having lobbied the MP since 2017, as there "was concern that there had been no recent communication".
They added: "The Parish Council will continue to work closely with Robert Jenrick, through lobbying the Housing Minister, to bring about a change in legislation and an end to these unfair practices."
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