Petitions/Create and fund third party regulator scheme for service charge disputes
StatusClosed
Opened21 Jul 2025
Closes21 Jan 2026
Government response
Parliamentary debateNot eligible
Milestones

Create a scheme where disputed service charges are payable to courts or similar body and only passed to landlords if they can prove the charge's legitimacy. Otherwise, the money returns to the tenant/leaseholder. The scheme would apply to all landlord types excluding self-management.

Unreasonable and inaccurate service charges can cause immense financial and psychological strain on those affected (renters, shared owners and leaseholders). Although laws already exist specifying that charges must be accurate and reasonable, many people are expected to pay up then seek refunds. We feel this and other factors put people challenging charges at a huge disadvantage in the current judicial system. None of the proposed new housing laws address this enforcement gap.

2,122Total signatures
Select your constituency →
10,000
100,000

Constituency engagement ranking

Dr Rupa Huq
1Dr Rupa Huq MP
Ealing Central and Acton
86
David Pinto-Duschinsky
2David Pinto-Duschinsky MP
Hendon
58
Apsana Begum
3Apsana Begum MP
Poplar and Limehouse
52
Rushanara Ali
4Rushanara Ali MP
Bethnal Green and Stepney
48
Uma Kumaran
5Uma Kumaran MP
Stratford and Bow
46
Emily Thornberry
6Emily Thornberry MP
Islington South and Finsbury
44
Andy Slaughter
7Andy Slaughter MP
Hammersmith and Chiswick
35
Bambos Charalambous
8Bambos Charalambous MP
Southgate and Wood Green
34
Vicky Foxcroft
9Vicky Foxcroft MP
Lewisham North
31
Sir Keir Starmer
10Sir Keir Starmer MP
Holborn and St Pancras
30