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Property Development: Repairs and Maintenance

Asked by Mr Joshua ReynoldsLiberal DemocratMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled Answered 13 October 2025UIN 77434

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to publish guidance for managing agents and freeholders on how costs should be allocated for remedial works relating to historic building defects when the developer is no longer in existence.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The Building Safety Act allows for civil cases to be brought against companies which were associated with those responsible for historic building defects, even when these responsible parties are no longer in existence or are making use of complex corporate structures to avoid their remediation responsibilities.

Guidance on how costs should be allocated for remedial works relating to historic building defects when the developer is no longer in existence (in which case costs are shared between government, leaseholders and freeholders) has already been published and can be found here:

Remediation costs: what leaseholders do and do not have to pay - GOV.UK

Leaseholder contribution caps - GOV.UK.

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