On Wednesday Helen Goodman MP presented her Freehold Properties (Management Charges and Shared Facilities) Bill to Parliament as a 10 Minute Rule Bill. The aim of the bill is to put a stop to unregulated fees being placed on owners of new build freehold properties by unscrupulous property companies.

As I know from listening to my constituents, often home owners find themselves trapped on poorly maintained estates, paying hundreds of pounds a year, with no way to hold the company to account when the work isn’t carried out or when the fees are extortionately high. This issue affects very many of my constituents and 1.3m people across the country.

Helen’s bill, due its second reading on 25th January 2019, aims to put an end to this by introducing regulations for the fees companies charge, ensuring companies are held to account for maintaining a suitable standard of shared facilities, and making provisions for freeholders to self-manage shared facilities between themselves.

It’s time the Government did more to support homeowners by protecting them from these unfair practices. Adopting this bill would do just that, and I’m proud to give it my support.