Call for action on Estate Management Companies
Regulate Estate Management Companies - Supported by Cameron Thomas MP and County Councillor Dr Kate
We, the undersigned, are calling on the Government to take urgent action to reform the current system of residential estate management companies. Many homeowners - both leaseholders and freeholders - are being charged annual fees by estate management companies for the upkeep of shared spaces such as green areas, roads, play parks, or drainage systems. Unjustified increases in fees by the management companies are seen year on year. However, these companies are not subject to the same regulations as letting agents or housing associations, and residents have little to no say in how their money is spent.
We are deeply concerned that:
• Charges are often excessive, poorly explained, and difficult to challenge.
• Services provided are frequently substandard or not carried out at all.
• Residents face threats of legal action or debt collection for disputing charges.
• There is no independent regulator to oversee these companies or resolve complaints.
• Homeowners are left powerless, despite paying substantial fees each year.
• Buyers are ‘blackmailed’ into contracts with estate management companies at the point of purchasing their homes and cannot back out.
This system is unfair, unaccountable, and in urgent need of reform.
We therefore ask the House of Commons to urge the Government to:
1. Introduce clear regulation of estate management companies, including a statutory Code of Practice.
2. Establish an independent regulator or ombudsman with powers to investigate complaints and enforce fair treatment.
3. Ensure greater transparency and accountability over service charges and how residents' money is spent.
4. Provide legal rights for residents to take over the management of their estate or transfer control to a local authority where there is community support.
5. Immediately improve communications from these companies with residents to ensure complaints are dealt with quickly and efficiently.
We believe all homeowners deserve fair treatment, proper service, and a voice in how their communities are managed.