Shared owners have a full repairing lease and are financially responsible for all maintenance charges and outgoings, in the same way as any other leaseholder or homeowner.<\/p>
The Government has no power to intervene in how housing associations, which are private, non-profit making organisations, carry out their maintenance or repair works. However, the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 requires that service charges are only payable where the costs incurred are reasonable.
Where they believe that the service charges they are being asked to pay are unreasonable, leaseholders - including those who have purchased under a shared ownership scheme - have a number of statutory rights and protections in respect of those service charges, and the management of their property. These include:
- The right to apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to determine the liability to pay and reasonableness of service charges.
- The right to write to their landlord to request a written summary of the costs which make up the service charges, and to require the landlord to provide reasonable facilities to inspect the accounts, receipts and other documents supporting the summary.
- Where new or extended services are introduced and where an additional charge may need to be made, landlords are expected to consult appropriately with tenants before introducing these services and associated charges.
Free initial advice and information on leaseholders' rights can be obtained from the Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE). This is a specialist body, funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government, to provide initial advice and information on a wide range of residential leasehold issues.
<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4009", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Great Yarmouth"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Brandon Lewis"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-27T14:35:55.8747029Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Shared Ownership Schemes"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that part-owners do not face above-inflation increases to service charges under shared ownership schemes.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1511", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Austin of Dudley"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Dudley North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ian Austin"}
], "uin" : "211086"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/99792", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/99792/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
This Government is committed to supporting people\u2019s aspirations to own their own home.<\/p>
<\/p>
Over 50,000 households have been supported by the Help to Buy: Mortgage Guarantee and Equity Loan schemes and around 80% of these are first-time buyers. The Department does not collect data on the number of first time buyers supported by Help to Buy: NewBuy. The Department does not publish data on the number of first-time buyers supported by the Help to Buy schemes at local authority or constituency level.<\/p>
<\/p>
Data at constituency level is only available for the Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme.<\/p>
<\/p>
Statistics on the number of Help to Buy sales at local authority and postcode level are published in the Open Data Communities portal for Help to Buy: Mortgage Guarantee and Help to Buy: Equity Loan, which are available at the following link:<\/p>
| <\/td> | Mortgage Guarantee<\/p> (to 30 June 2014)<\/p><\/td> | Equity Loan<\/p> (to 31 August 2014)<\/p><\/td> | NewBuy<\/p> (to 30 June 2014)<\/p><\/td> | TOTAL<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> Woking<\/p><\/td> 27<\/p><\/td> 81<\/p><\/td> 19<\/p><\/td> 127<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Guildford<\/p><\/td> 32<\/p><\/td> 0<\/p><\/td> 1<\/p><\/td> 33<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4009", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Great Yarmouth"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Brandon Lewis"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-27T17:11:34.3790989Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Help to Buy Scheme: Woking"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many (a) house buyers and (b) first-time buyers have been supported under the Government's Help to Buy scheme in Woking constituency.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4090", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Jonathan Lord"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Woking"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jonathan Lord"}
], "uin" : "211116"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/99793", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/99793/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " This Government has revoked the previous administration\u2019s top-down undemocratic Regional Strategies. It is for local councils in conjunction with their communities to determine what development is appropriate and where in bringing forward their Local Plans. Legislation specifically requires that councils consult Natural England in doing so.<\/p> <\/p> Through its planning policy this Government has maintained strong protections against inappropriate development in the Green Belt, and made absolutely clear that councils can only amend their Green Belt boundaries in exceptional circumstances, through the Local Plan.<\/p> <\/p> My Department has recently published new planning guidance reaffirming how councils should use their Local Plan drawing on protections in the National Planning Policy Framework, to safeguard their local area against urban sprawl. We have also made clear that the single issue of unmet demand is unlikely to outweigh harm to the Green Belt and other harm necessary to grant permission for inappropriate development. Unlike the Labour\u2019s discredited Regional Strategies, we have been very clear that there are no central diktats demanding that councils rip up the Green Belt.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4009", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Great Yarmouth"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Brandon Lewis"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/99793/answer/previousversion/24026", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4009", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Great Yarmouth"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Brandon Lewis"}
}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-23T16:45:13.1493233Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Planning Permission: Birmingham"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if his Department will consult with Natural England on plans set out in the Birmingham City Council Development Plan and in particular to build on green belt land in Sutton Coldfield.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1211", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Andrew Mitchell"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sutton Coldfield"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Andrew Mitchell"}
], "uin" : "211131"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/99715", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/99715/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The decision to confirm The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (Shepherds Bush Market Area) Compulsory Purchase Order 2013 was issued on 10 October. My rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State's decision letter sets out all post inquiry correspondence received by the Department and summarises its content in paragraph 9 of the decision letter. There is no reference made to Orion in paragraph 9 of the decision letter but reference is made to Development Securities who are a co-investor in the scheme. The Department has not corresponded with Orion on this matter.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4009", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Great Yarmouth"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Brandon Lewis"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-22T16:07:34.4452731Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Orion Land and Leisure"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will publish any correspondence his Department has had with Orion on the Shepherd Bush Market development scheme and the compulsory purchase order granted by Hammersmith and Fulham local authority.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1516", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andy Slaughter"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hammersmith"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Andy Slaughter"}
], "uin" : "210972"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93760", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93760/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The methodology that determines the retained business rates and Revenue Support Grant for local authorities is set out in the Local Govenrment Finance report each year. The Report for 2014/15 is available at: Planning is a quasi-judicial process; it is a long-standing feature of the planning system that there is a right of appeal, just as there are with other local quasi-judicial decisions such as on licensing applications, gambling applications or parking fines.<\/p> <\/p> Planning appeals are decided by independent planning inspectors on behalf of the Secretary of State, or in a small number of cases by the Secretary of State himself. Interested parties have a statutory right to make representations on planning appeals, and these representations are required to be taken into account by the decision maker. This allows proper democratic oversight of the appeals process.<\/p> <\/p> The Localism Act 2011 has strengthened the role of Local Plans and abolished the last Administration\u2019s top-down Regional Strategies. Our streamlined National Planning Policy Framework strongly encourages areas to get up-to-date Local Plans in place, and we have been actively supporting councils in doing so. Local Plans now set the framework in which decisions on particular applications are taken, whether locally or at appeal, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.<\/p> <\/p> Once made a neighbourhood plan will also become part of the area\u2019s statutory development plan \u2014 an example of this Government\u2019s localist agenda. Both Local and Neighbourhood Plans are founded on thorough community involvement and are subject to independent examination and consultation. Over 1,200 communities have applied for a neighbourhood planning area to be designated, with over 1,000 areas now designated.<\/p> <\/p> Planning inspectors will take full account of all the evidence that is before them, including representations made by local residents and other interested parties. Each representation should be considered on their merits, paying careful regard to the relevant policy and material planning considerations.<\/p> <\/p> Since the National Planning Policy Framework was introduced, the number of appeals received has fallen as has the number allowed. The quality of local decisions also remains high\u201499% of decisions are made locally with only approximately 1% of planning applications overturned on appeal. Housing starts and housing construction are also up, as are permissions for new homes. This means there is more local decision-making, and our reforms are supporting badly-needed new homes within a locally-led planning system.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4009", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Great Yarmouth"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Brandon Lewis"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-20T16:08:14.4302812Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Planning Permission: Appeals"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of democratic oversight of local planning decisions when appealed; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4124", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chi Onwurah"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle upon Tyne Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chi Onwurah"}
], "uin" : "210798"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93480", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93480/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Ministers within the Department for Communities and Local Government regularly meet colleagues from other Departments to discuss a range of matters.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4009", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Great Yarmouth"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Brandon Lewis"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-20T16:03:45.0704932Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Fast Food: Planning Permission"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with his ministerial colleagues on using planning applications for further public health objectives by control of the location of fast food outlets.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4124", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chi Onwurah"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle upon Tyne Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chi Onwurah"}
], "uin" : "210799"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93481", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93481/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " I refer the hon. Member to the Government\u2019s cycling delivery plan, published on 16 October, which can be found online at:<\/p> |