Ruth Cadbury Blasts Country's Largest Managing Agent

Says constituents regularly complain to her about FirstPort

FirstPort managed Golden Court in Isleworth. Picture: RightMove

January 17, 2025

The MP for Brentford & Isleworth, Ruth Cadbury, has launched a scathing attack on the UK’s biggest leasehold managing agent after receiving a string of complaints from her constituents.

She accused FirstPort of providing shoddy services as well as rip-off service charges and a lack of transparency. It manages a number of buildings in her constituency including Golden Court in Isleworth.

Leaseholders have reported receiving ever-rising bills with inadequate information about unexpected and unexplained items like ‘terrorism insurance’ and ‘contribution to reserves’, along with a catalogue of poor repairs services and lack of communication.

FirstPort are the largest property management company in the UK, managing over 300,000 properties nationwide. They are contracted by freeholders to carry out building maintenance work in properties inhabited by leaseholders, who own their own flats. In some cases, FirstPort’s rates have risen by more than 50% on last year, with leaseholders claiming that there has been no demonstrable improvement in the service provided.

A group of over 60 Labour MPs who had received similar reports in their constituencies attended a meeting earlier this month at which FirstPort’s Managing Director faced questions about his company’s performance.

Mr King heard MPs deliver testimonials from constituents up and down the UK, who described three common complaints: excessive service charge rises, failure to complete vital building maintenance work, and a lack of responsiveness from FirstPort when they raised concerns.

The event on Thursday 9 January was the first formal meeting of the group who are looking for a crackdown on rogue managing agents and plan further meetings on this issue.

Ruth Cadbury MP said, “I have received several complaints from constituents locally about the poor service provided by FirstPort, so I was pleased to voice their concerns to FirstPort’s top team at this valuable meeting. Whether it’s excessive service charges, poor communication, or a lack of action to fix communal areas, I know local people are being let down.

“I saw firsthand one particularly shocking case around a local block of retirement flats where residents were not being given clear answers about why their service charge is increasing.

“Local leaseholders continue to face problem after problem, with many unable to move or sell their homes.

“That’s why I’m committed both to holding companies like FirstPort to account and supporting national reforms to fix our antiquated leasehold system. I have long campaigned and supported leaseholders and will continue to work in Parliament to ensure we see desperately needed reforms to help local leaseholders.’’

A spokesperson from The FirstPort Group said, “The meeting with MPs allowed for meaningful discussions about the changes and challenges affecting our industry. It also provided an opportunity to highlight the improvements we are making to better serve our customers. We listened to the concerns raised by MPs and we are committed to responding to the requests raised in the meeting, as well as working with the MPs on a longer term basis to demonstrate how the changes we are making at FirstPort will improve services. We would like to thank all the MPs who attended for their time and valuable contributions.”

This week Ruth Cadbury also gave her backing to the Renters’ Rights Bill which seeks to limit how many months’ rent landlords can require tenants to pay upfront to secure a property. The bill would also end no fault evictions and seeks to end bidding was as well as applying Awaab’s Law which requires health hazards to be fixed within a set time.