The government has promised action after flat service charges skyrocketed – what about utilities?
The Guardian has reported that
the average annual service charge for a leasehold flat in England and Wales has jumped by an inflation-busting 11% to £2,300.
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Overall, between 2019 and 2024, the average annual service charge rose by 33.9%: from £1,717 to £2,300. However, this disguises wide variations between regions and types of property… The average service charge in the north-east and north-west England had risen by 60.9% and 57.6% respectively over the period, compared with 27.7% increase for the four regions of southern England.
The service charge paid by flat owners usually includes maintenance and repairs, building insurance and management costs.
The article states that
the government has pledged “sweeping” changes. It has promised leaseholders more powers and protections, though some already-announced measures have been delayed.
Labour has committed itself to ending the “feudal” leasehold system before the end of this parliament.
And that’s all well and good. But Labour seems to be suffering from some kind of sensory impairment because its government seems happy to attack higher-than-inflation rises in this private-sector area while ignoring rises elsewhere – such as in the standing charges made by the privatised utility companies.
For example, Ovo Energy’s daily standing charge for electricity rose from 24.61p per day in 2022 to 60.31p per day in 2024, which is a 145 per cent increase over two years.
Bill payers are being fleeced left, right and centre and the government is scandalously happy for its regulators to support the corporate shareholders rather than stand up for the consumer.
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Government has promised action after flat service charges skyrocketed – what about utilities?
The government has promised action after flat service charges skyrocketed – what about utilities?
The Guardian has reported that
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
The article states that
And that’s all well and good. But Labour seems to be suffering from some kind of sensory impairment because its government seems happy to attack higher-than-inflation rises in this private-sector area while ignoring rises elsewhere – such as in the standing charges made by the privatised utility companies.
For example, Ovo Energy’s daily standing charge for electricity rose from 24.61p per day in 2022 to 60.31p per day in 2024, which is a 145 per cent increase over two years.
Bill payers are being fleeced left, right and centre and the government is scandalously happy for its regulators to support the corporate shareholders rather than stand up for the consumer.
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (bottom right of the home page). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
5) Follow Vox Political writer Mike Sivier on BlueSky
6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical
7) Feel free to comment!
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
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