THE estate management service at the Nansledan development is to change following scores of complaints by residents.

The Duchy of Cornwall, which owns the land and the Nansledan estate management companies that include local resident directors, plan to re-tender FirstPort’s contracts after people highlighted ‘failings in the administrative process, customer service and communication.’

They have written to residents saying they had received “significant feedback” about FirstPort during 2024, and that they were “hugely disappointed” by “additional failings” over the holiday period.

The letter adds: “At the end of last year, it was agreed that we should re-tender the Nansledan Estate Management services away from FirstPort in 2025 and we have since agreed a programme for this process.”

The letter says the intention is to ensure that a new management company is in place by the end of the current service charge year (September 2025), and that initial approaches will be going out to a preferred shortlist of alternative management companies over the next few months.

Newquay MP Noah Law MP, who has managed dozens of complaints from constituents, has campaigned on the issue and supported a summons earlier this month of FirstPort’s managing director to Parliament by 50 Labour MPs.

The MPs challenged the company following widespread complaints across the country. FirstPort manages more than 300,00 homes in the UK.

Fifty-four MPs, including Noah, signed a letter to the company following the meeting outlining the steps they expected it to take to tackle the issues raised.

Noah said: “I welcome the decision to re-tender FirstPort’s contracts at Nansledan and am glad to have played a part in raising the alarm for constituents. I am hopeful that changes in the management company will afford local people additional peace of mind about service levels.”

He added: “During my election campaign I made three pledges – one of which was to fix the Cornish housing crisis. That means levelling the playing field between corporate interests, as well as homeowners and renters which we see here – and more of that will be delivered through Labour’s Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act.

“The legislation will introduce new obligations that will help drive up standards of managing agents and ensure landlords and managing agents are better held to account for management failures. This includes making it easier for leaseholders to take on management of their buildings themselves so they can directly appoint or replace agents.

“Government is also looking to strengthen regulation of managing agents to drive up the standard of their service. As a minimum, this will include mandatory professional qualifications which set a new basic standard that managing agents will be required to meet. The Government will consult on this matter later this year.”

A spokesperson for the Managing Agent said: “Our Operations Director recently met with the Duchy of Cornwall’s team and committed to resolving any issues as a priority. We will continue to support our client and the Nansledan community throughout our period of management.”

The Duchy of Cornwall has been approached for comment.