High property management charges in Somerset in the spotlight

High property management charges in Somerset are in the spotlight.

Glastonbury & Somerton MP Sarah Dyke's spoken in parliament about the issue this week.

She said: "One of my constituents moved into a flat in Wincanton a year ago, having budgeted for a manageable service charge.

"She's now been hit - without any consultation - with a £7,000 bill to cover stairwell repairs.

"Another, from Glastonbury, is permanently tied, alongside his neighbours, to contracts which are written into the land registry - with fees rising annually, despite declining standards."

In Wincanton, she also noted how residents in Cavalier Way recently received notice of astronomical increases, with some seeing hikes of up to 400%, intended to cover critical repairs.

These costs, which she said RMG claimed should have been budgeted for by the previous management company and held in reserves, have now become an unexpected financial burden on leaseholders.

Last week, Sarah visited residents to hear their concerns, having already successfully negotiated a 28-day pause on billing.

Sarah is actively engaging with RMG, demanding answers and supporting residents in their investigations.

'Our priority is to work together with residents'

A spokesperson for RMG said: “We recognise that the recent increase in service charges at Cavalier Way has raised questions for some residents. Our priority is to work together with residents, listen to their feedback, and provide clear, transparent information to help them understand the reasons behind these changes.

"RMG was appointed as the managing agent by the freeholder in May 2024. Since taking over, we have identified a number of long-standing issues that require urgent attention, including health and safety concerns and delayed maintenance. No reserve funds were transferred from the previous managing agent, which means that essential repairs must now be covered through the service charge.

“We appreciate how frustrating this situation is. To minimise the impact on residents, we are focusing on the most critical works first and securing competitive quotes to ensure value for money. In the near future, we will also begin consulting residents on potential improvement projects such as new carpets and redecoration. Importantly, any unspent service charge funds at the end of the financial year will be credited back to leaseholders.

“In response to resident feedback, we extended the implementation period of the new charges by 28 days, and we are now extending it by a further 28 days. We are also open to offering flexible payment plans and encourage any residents with concerns or queries to contact us directly.

“We are committed to maintaining open and constructive dialogue. We are already in communication with Sarah Dyke MP regarding specific issues raised by constituents and will continue to work closely with her and with residents to ensure concerns are addressed promptly and effectively.”

'Leaseholders should not live in fear'

She also spoke in Parliament about FirstPort, another management company she is engaged in holding to account, which habitually fails to offer transparency to its residents and is coming under national press and government scrutiny for its tactics.

Sarah said: “Unfortunately, 'fleeceholder' scenarios are becoming increasingly common nationwide. I'm committed to working with Liberal Democrat colleagues on legislation to better protect leaseholders and ensure no one faces sudden, crippling charges like these.

“Leaseholders should have peace of mind, not live in fear of unexpected financial shocks. I will continue to fight for fairer protections and transparency for all residents.”

FirstPort told us they won't be providing a comment on this occasion.

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