Shared Ownership Schemes: Service Charges
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to review the practices of housing associations in relation to the application of maintenance charges for shared ownership properties; and what steps he will take to ensure charges (a) reflect actual services delivered and (b) are communicated in plain language.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook
Most shared owners have a landlord who is a member of the Housing Ombudsman Service. Tenants can therefore take complaints about service charges, not including fees, to the Ombudsman.
The new Social and Affordable Homes Programme places new expectations on shared ownership providers to improve customer experience. These include giving greater consideration to long-term customer affordability and increasing transparency and fairness on costs.
I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 4 July 2025 (HCWS780).
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