Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what guidance his Department issues on (a) statutory limits on service charge increases in government-backed affordable housing schemes and (b) options available to enable leaseholders under such schemes to seek redress for excessive service charges.

Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, variable service charges must be reasonable and, where costs relate to works or services, the works or services must be of a reasonable standard. Leaseholders may seek free advice from organisations such as the Leasehold Advisory Service and Citizens Advice. Should leaseholders wish to contest the reasonableness of their service charges they may make an application to the appropriate tribunal.