Roche to crack down on estate maintenance charges
01/11/2005 - 08:09:58Minister for the Environment Dick Roche has reportedly signalled his intention to crack down on the levying of management charges on thousands of housholds.
Reports this morning said some local authorities had made it a condition of planning permission that management companies be formed to maintain private housing estates.
These companies then charge an annual fee to every householder in the estate.
This morning's reports said Mr Roche had raised questions about the legality of linking management companies to grants of planning permission and said he intended to stamp out the practice.
This could reportedly see thousands of householders being refunded the money they have paid in recent years.
