New to New Build Estates

Disclaimer: This is by no means legal advice, or binding. It is a starting point.

If you are new to the area you may be living in one of the new build estates designed and built by one of many developers.

At the parish council it has become clear a lot of residents don't realise what their responsibilities are, what their developers responsibilities are and so on.

So we have collected some resources to help you get started.

I live in a house, why is there a management company for the estate?

When you own a flat or apartment, there is often a management company that manages the services for the apartment block. Each flat owner will pay a service charge towards the cost. However, more and more often we are seeing freehold houses on estates with the same type of management company. Why is there a management company and what exactly does this mean for you?

Could the new Freehold Properties Bill be the answer to ‘Fleeceholding’?

Labour MP Helen Goodman introduced the Freehold Properties (Management Charges and Shared Facilities) Bill to Parliament in November 2018. The main issue the Bill aims to address is ‘fleeceholding’, where freeholders on communal estates are charged excessive estate management fees by managing agents.

What are my rights?

There’s an action/campaign group Homeowners Rights Network here

Do you have a customer referral program?

This is your FAQ Answer. Make sure your writing is clear and concise. It’s a good idea to review what you’ve written and ask yourself the following - if this was my first time visiting the site, would I fully understand this answer? Then revise or expand as necessary. Consider adding a photo or video as a visual tool or for extra impact.