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Business Premises: Energy

Asked by Gareth SnellLabour (Co-op)Department for Business and TradeTabled Answered 22 May 2026UIN 164

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of service charge increases due to communal energy costs on the viability of managed workspace providers.

Answered by Chris McDonald

The Department for Business and Trade has made no formal assessment on the impact of service charge increases due to communal energy costs on the viability of managed workspace providers.

Ofgem is currently reviewing the Maximum Resale Price (MRP) rules, which protect tenants and consumers by ensuring landlords and site owners cannot profit from reselling gas and electricity. A key focus of this work involves modernising the framework to address EV charging, mixed-use buildings, and enforcement procedures.

As part of their 14th programme, the Law Commission will be carrying out a scoping exercise focusing on various issues including service charges.

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