Government Consultation on Estate charges
The Government is consultating on Estate Charges. This is where different residential units share grounds and there is a "service charge" for the share of the estate costs.
The consultation applies to sites held by a freeholder AND sites held by a Resident Management Company. It also covers leasehold and freehold houses and flats.
The consultation proposes to change:
- the risk that someone loses their home if they do not pay the Estate charge
- increased transaprency about the charges
- the right for home owners to challenge the charges
- the right to ask the Tribunal to appoint a manager if there are serious failings of management
Deadline for responses is 12 March 2026.
There is a parallel consultation about reducing the prevalence of "unadopted amenities" which also closes on 12 March.https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reducing-the-prevalence-of-private-estate-management-arrangements