Shipley MP calls for changes to property management laws after sharing heartbreaking story of 90-year-old constituent

Anna Dixon MP for Shipley, has this week called for greater regulation of property managing agents after sharing the heartbreaking experiences of a 90-year-old resident at a retirement complex in her constituency. 

In a speech to the House of Commons, the Labour MP told the story of Tom, a Bingley resident who first contacted her in 2024 about the challenges he faced due to the actions of property manager FirstPort.  

His concerns included poor communication with residents, inadequate customer service, and above-inflation service charge increases. These issues have led him to fear that his daughter will be stuck, continuing to pay large fees to FirstPort even after his death due to the difficulty of reselling flats.  

FirstPort, which manages over 100 properties in the Shipley constituency across two sites in Bingley, was called to Parliament earlier this month to respond to questions from more than 30 MPs, including Dixon, regarding the company’s practices. 

Speaking in a debate on Leasehold Reform, Anna Dixon said: “Earlier this month, I met the managing director of FirstPort. I raised the case of 90-year-old Tom, who lives in a retirement complex in Bingley in my constituency.  

“Like many of the residents whose stories we shared, he has been hit by extortionate service charges that have risen way above inflation.  

“Does the Minister (Matthew Pennycook) agree that stronger regulation of managing agents is needed to protect pensioners like Tom and others in leasehold flats from unaffordable housing costs?”  

The Minister of State for Housing and Planning responded: “We are very much aware that some managing agents provide a very poor quality of service to people like Tom and leaseholders across the country.  

“Managing agents play a key role in the maintenance of multi-occupancy buildings and freehold estates, and their importance will only grow as we transition towards a commonhold future.  

“As such, we have made it clear that we will strengthen the regulation of managing agents to drive up the standard of their service.” 

Anna Dixon was also one of over 40 MPs who, this week, sent an open letter to Martin King, the Managing Director of FirstPort, demanding that the company demonstrate how it is improving its services for residents in the Shipley constituency and across the country. 

In the letter, the MPs state: “We appreciate your engagement. However, warm words on their own will not be sufficient.  

“After years of suffering from your under-performance, our constituents expect action, and we will be monitoring you closely to ensure that you deliver on the pledges you have made.  

“We will continue to strongly support the government’s push to end the system of leasehold as we know it and will press for stronger regulation in your sector.”