Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alistair Burt and Lord Barwell

Monday 28th November 2016 Commons Chamber

[Alistair Burt (North East Bedfordshire) (Con)]

16. What recent representations he has received on the effectiveness of the regulation of property management agents working on newly developed housing; and if he will make a statement.

[The Minister for Housing and Planning (Gavin Barwell)]

My right hon. Friend is right to raise concerns about the quality of service provided by some managing agents. That is why we are introduced legislation to ensure that property management agents belong to an approved redress scheme.

[Alistair Burt]

I am working with constituents who, despite a number of complaints about management services on a relatively newly built estate, find that the management agents are not prepared to meet them as a group. They find that their local parish council has discontinued contact with the management agents, and the management agents have not held an annual general meeting, as they promised in their agreement. If this is in any way familiar to my hon. Friend, will he tell me what more my constituents can do to redress the balance of power between themselves and the people who seem to have them over a barrel?

[Gavin Barwell]

Sadly, the situation that my right hon. Friend describes is familiar, and something that he has raised before. The Government are looking to address it. Although there are existing legal powers, we are exploring whether further changes are required to address this problem.