Scores of angry residents on a Trowbridge housing development say they are being ‘fleeced’ by a new property management company after a hike in annual fees for estate maintenance.

More than 200 furious residents at Southview Park are angry about a collective £4,346 increase in fees compared to last year – an 11.86 per cent rise.

On top of that, the outraged residents say the new estate management company FirstPort wants another £24 per household on top of that for paying by direct debit.

Ward councillor Daniel Cave.says the ongoing conflict with Wain Homes and now FirstPort has been extremely frustrating for the residents. Ward councillor Daniel Cave.says the ongoing conflict with Wain Homes and now FirstPort has been extremely frustrating for the residents. (Image: Trevor Porter)

Jody Hawkes, secretary of the Residents South View Park Committee, said: “Not only is it a £4,346 increase from last year in fees alone, they want another £24 per household on top of that for paying by direct debit, which collectively would mean an increase of over £9,000 for fees for 2024-2025.

“Homeowners in Southview Park have been trapped in a ‘fleecehold nightmare’ for 14 years or more, despite the last few plots having been built by Wain Homes in circa 2016.

“Owners were made to pay estate management fees from day one of moving into their homes despite the development having not been completed or handed over to the management company and ultimately the owners.

“As we reach September 2024, owners are still obligated to pay an annual charge on top of the usual council tax for costs and services out of their control. Owners have absolutely no say in how their money is spent.

“Owners are furious about the whole situation and to now ask for an additional £24 per owner per annum will bring FirstPort an additional income of nearly £5,000 per annum should all 202 members pay the new charge. 

“It is daylight robbery and angry owners have raised formal complaints with the company on the basis that their actions are unreasonable.”

Angry residents study the FirstPort bill with ward councillor Daniel Cave. Angry residents study the FirstPort bill with ward councillor Daniel Cave. (Image: Trevor Porter)

Nine days before the annual charge was due on Sunday, September 1, Mrs Hawkes said FirstPort informed ‘some’ owners the new £24 a year charge would be imposed if they wanted to pay by direct debit. 

Individual households paid £183 in fees last year on average but now face a £210 bill this year or £234 if they want to pay by direct debit.

Collectively, the 202 households paid £36,632 in total last year, but will now have to pay £40,978 this year, plus another £4,848 for paying by direct debit.

Southview Park was built by Devon-based Wain Homes (South West) Ltd, which lost a planning appeal in 2022 to build another 91 homes on the development.

Estate maintenance at Southview Park was previously managed by Blenheims, but Mrs Hawkes said: “Since FirstPort took over, the charges have increased annually and significantly and the service has reduced from the management company.”

The FirstPort invoice details the £209.99 annual estate management charges for 2024/25. The FirstPort invoice details the £209.99 annual estate management charges for 2024/25. (Image: Trevor Porter)

A spokesperson for Wain Homes said: “The legal process of transferring the land to the management company is underway and we expect this to be completed by the end of September.”

A spokesperson for FirstPort said: “We’ll always do everything we can to keep costs as reasonable as possible without compromising on the quality of our service.

“Service charges are not a source of revenue for property managers; they are allocated to cover actual expenses incurred to cover the day-to-day running of the estate.

“We’ve seen increases in areas such as insurance and health and safety costs nationwide, which are beyond our control. However, we always work with residents to find ways to make costs more manageable.

“We plan to host an AGM with residents once the developer completes the land transfer to Southview Park Management Company. In the meantime, we are available to speak with individual residents whenever needed.”