We’re being charged £9,000 a 12 months to stay on newbuild property for the grass to be minimize and have terrorism insurance coverage

Residents of an idyllic newbuild estate are being forced to pay £9,000 a year towards grass-cutting costs and terrorism insurance.

Karen Stokes, who lives on the estate, in Wigston, Leicestershire, says locals feel ‘fleeced’ and as if they are ‘paying a second council tax’.

Management company FirstPort charges residents to maintain land surrounding a small balancing pond on the estate.

The private firm is responsible for cutting grass at the pond – which is designed to prevent flooding – and maintaining the bordering fence.

This year’s bill for the whole estate was a staggering £9,031 or £75 per household – and included contributions towards terrorism insurance.

Ms Stokes and her partner Tony purchased their new-build home at Waterside Gardens freehold eight years ago – meaning they own the property and the land it stands on.

The pair did not receive a bill for the first two years, but, when they did, they were alarmed to see FirstPort demanded a fee of £117.23 per household despite no work being done on the pond.

Residents of an idyllic newbuild estate are being forced to pay £9,000 a year towards grass-cutting costs and terrorism insurance. Karen Stokes (pictured),  who lives on the estate, in Wigston, Leicestershire says locals feel ‘fleeced’ and as if they are ‘paying a second council tax’

Management company FirstPort charges residents to maintain land surrounding a small balancing pond on the estate. The private firm is responsible for cutting grass at the pond, designed to prevent flooding, and maintaining the bordering fence

Shocked by the increase, the 65-year-old sent leaflets to all the properties on the estate challenging the bill and managed to agree a lower fee for all 120 houses.

Ms Stokes told the BBC: ‘We pay £9,000 a year to have the grass cut twice a year, which is an awful lot of money.’

A breakdown of this year’s bill shows only £1,158 of the total figure was used for maintenance costs.  

Most of the money was for management fees – £6,085 – and a small amount – £14 – was for terrorism insurance.

Commenting on the insurance Ms Stokes joked: ‘It’s a real hotbed of terrorism in South Wigston, it really is.’

FirstPort said it was ‘common practice’ to charge for terrorism insurance and a spokesperson added that even if terrorism seemed unlikely it was an ‘important consideration’.

Separately, former parish councillor Pete Murray (pictured) set up a committee to help residents living on another estate managed by FirstPort in Fernwood, near Newark, Nottinghamshire

But Sebastian O’Kelly, director of the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership charity, said he cannot see why terrorism insurance would be needed for the pond ‘except to make money for the managing company who placed the contract.’

Ms Stokes says that she spends weeks negotiating the charges on behalf of everyone on the estate and is already preparing for the next bill.

Separately, former parish councillor Pete Murray set up a committee to help neighbors living on another estate managed by FirstPort in Fernwood, Nottinghamshire.

It came after he was repeatedly contacted by residents struggling to deal with the firm.

Mr Murray said FirstPort eventually stopped working with his committee and he has since stepped back from helping residents after it left him ‘physically drained’.