Home » Leaseholders in Murton accuse Firstport of neglecting their properties

Leaseholders in Murton accuse Firstport of neglecting their properties

RESIDENTS of Tudor Court, a small leasehold retirement development in Murton, Swansea, have raised serious concerns about their property management company, Firstport, accusing them of failing to maintain the site despite collecting significant service charges.

Lack of Maintenance Despite High Fees

The 12 homeowners at Tudor Court collectively pay approximately £20,000 annually to Firstport for maintenance and repairs, amounting to around £100,000 over the past five years. However, residents claim that virtually no maintenance work has been carried out during this time.

David Barlow, one of the affected leaseholders, described the situation as “shocking” and said: “We have paid a small fortune in service charges, yet Firstport has done nothing to maintain the site. We have tried multiple times to get answers, but communication has been poor.”

Cavity Wall Insulation Issues

Adding to their grievances, leaseholders claim that 13 years ago, Firstport installed government-funded cavity wall insulation (CWI) without consulting residents. Now, several homes are suffering from severe damp and water ingress.

“An independent inspector confirmed in November 2024 that the insulation has deteriorated and is causing damp problems,” Mr Barlow explained. “Despite this, Firstport has ignored requests to allow Osbourne Energy, a specialist contractor, to remove the insulation under the 25-year guarantee.”

One resident, who moved into Tudor Court in November 2023, had to leave their home just three months later due to extensive damp in five rooms. They are now enduring a second winter unable to live in their property while still paying £1,000 per month in mortgage, service charge, council tax, ground rent, and utility bills.

Communication Failures and Management Turnover

Leaseholders have also criticised Firstport for a high turnover of management staff. Since early 2024, the site has seen six different property managers and two regional managers, none of whom, residents claim, have communicated with them since December 2024.

“Every time we finally get through to someone at Firstport, we are told a new manager is taking over, and we have to start from scratch again,” said another leaseholder. “Meanwhile, our homes are deteriorating, and we are left in limbo.”

Tribunal and Legal Actions

Incorporated within the Tudor Court site are 30 additional apartments, which recently took Firstport to a tribunal and won the right to manage their own properties. However, the 12 houses remain under Firstport’s control.

A separate case brought by one leaseholder to the Welsh Property Tribunal was dismissed in December 2024, with legal costs being taken from service charge funds.

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MPs have also taken an interest in Firstport’s management practices. A recent parliamentary meeting with Firstport’s managing director saw over 30 MPs raise concerns over excessive service charges, failure to carry out maintenance, and poor communication. As a result, Firstport agreed to several commitments, including public meetings with residents, a dedicated MP hotline, and increased transparency over service charges.

Firstport’s Response

A spokesperson for Firstport said: “Service charge budgets are calculated and set at the beginning of each year, factoring in planned maintenance. Once we were alerted to a damp issue, a specialist contractor determined the cause was the cavity wall insulation in one of the properties. A grounds maintenance contractor assessed the site and deemed it habitable. We are supporting the affected homeowner to coordinate repairs as quickly as possible.”

Regarding the cavity wall insulation removal, Firstport stated that they are awaiting the outcome of Osbourne Energy’s funding application before proceeding with the work.

“We are hopeful that the necessary remedial work can be carried out as soon as possible,” the spokesperson added.

They also addressed concerns about staff turnover, confirming that a permanent property manager will start next month.

Uncertain Future

Despite Firstport’s assurances, residents remain sceptical. “We will believe what they do, not what they say,” said Mr Barlow. “Until we see real action, our homes remain in a state of neglect.”

Leaseholders continue to explore legal avenues and are urging their local MP to put further pressure on Firstport to resolve the issues.

The Herald will continue to monitor developments on this ongoing dispute.

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