We urge the government to: 1. Cap service charges fairly, in line with existing rent controls 2. Require transparent publication of how these charges are set and used. We think this is needed to help protect tenants from unfair costs and keep housing affordable and fair.

We believe that without reform, some landlords will keep undermining rent protections. We believe the government must cap service charges, as with annual rent increases for social housing, to stop any landlords exploiting this loophole and overcharging tenants. While rent for some is regulated, service charges remain uncapped, letting landlords raise them sharply and bypass rent controls. This can cause hardship for tenants, who we feel often pay inflated or unjustified fees for poorly provided services.