TROWBRIDGE resident Stewart Benford has welcomed news that the Government may introduce reforms to freeholder and leaseholder laws.

If passed by Parliament, the reforms could allow them to change the estate maintenance provider to 650 homes on the Castle Mead development.

South West Wiltshire MP Dr Andrew Murrison has told residents in Castle Mead, Trowbridge, that he anticipates reforms in the next two Parliamentary sessions.

The news has been welcomed by Mr Benford, a member of the Castle Mead Residents’ Group, representing homeowners in the area.

They have been battling with GreenSquare Estates, part of the Chippenham-based GreenSquare Housing Association, for better quality public open space maintenance.

Mr Benford said: “We have been asking Dr Murrison for a long time now to raise this with the Housing Secretary.

"We have been pressing GreenSquare Estates for five years now for maintenance improvements.

“All we want on behalf of Castle Mead residents is a bit of fairness. If we are in a contract with GreenSquare it should work both ways and it does not. It should not be that we have got absolutely no rights at all.”

Dr Murrison has been corresponding with his constituents and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government regarding freeholder and leaseholder reforms.

If the reforms are passed by Parliament, it could give freehold homeowners in Castle Mead the right to ‘sack’ GreenSquare Estates after a democratic vote and to appoint another estate maintenance management company.

Dr Murrison’s interest was originally sparked by the unsatisfactory experience of homeowners in new estates in west Wiltshire, notably Castle Mead, and their sense of powerlessness when estate management appeared unresponsive.

Leaseholders and freeholders on private estates are often required to contribute towards the upkeep of communal areas in the form of an estate or service charge. But they have little or no recourse if the estate management company fails to provide a good service.

Current legislation does not give freeholders equal rights as leaseholders in certain areas.

In Castle Mead’s case, the 650 households each pay an annual fee of more than £111 for estate maintenance.

Mr Benford and other residents claim that GreenSquare Estates is providing a poor service, which the company disputes.

GreenSquare said its chief executive Ruth Cooke has met Dr Murrison to discuss the residents’ concerns.

Andrew Rossiter, director of GreenSquare Estates, said: "Over the five years we have been the management company at Castle Mead, we have seen it progress from building site to a mature established residential community with areas of open space combined with large oak trees, woodland walks and children’s play areas.

"In this time we have tailored our maintenance schedule to adapt to the changing nature of the estate and ways the open space is used.

"We have always listened and responded to any issues and concerns raised by residents at Castle Mead and will continue to do so as we work to keep the open spaces well maintained for all to enjoy.

“Seasonal cutting commenced last month and we have already received several compliments from residents about the estate’s appearance.

"We have also partnered with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust to fund their work to retain natural habitats for local wildlife in the adjacent woodland and meadows.

"We are aware of freeholder and leaseholder reforms being considered by government and will await news of any legislation - but would point out that we have already provide a 'vote out' clause for all contracts we manage which is communicated to customers.

"This gives them opportunity to vote to change management company if we failed to meet our maintenance obligations."

Dr Murrison said the Government’s 2019 manifesto pledged to continue reforms to give freeholders the same rights as leaseholders.

A recent letter from Lord Greenhalgh to Andrew Murrison stated: “Government intends to legislate to give freeholders on private and mixed tenure estates equivalent rights to leaseholders to challenge the reasonableness of estate rent charges as well as a right to apply to the First Tier Tribunal to appoint a new manager to manage the provision of services covered by estate rent charges. We are currently considering this as part of our leasehold reform programme.”

In terms of a timeframe, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has stated the reform programme will come in two parts spanning two parliamentary sessions.

Additionally, the Ministry wrote in response to a Parliamentary Question: “We will bring forward legislation in the upcoming session to set future ground rents to zero. This will be the first part of seminal two-part legislation to implement reforms in this Parliament.”

Dr Murrison said: “Thank you to those who have written to me about their issues as freeholding homeowners. I welcome the Government’s intention to legislate on areas which currently do not give freeholders the same rights as leaseholders.

“I look forward to hearing more about the Government’s plans for legislative reform on this area in the Queen’s speech on May 11, which will outline the Government’s agenda for the next session.”