Keep promise over leasehold reform, new Housing Secretary is urged

A leasehold reform campaigner has called on the government to ensure it publishes its report on leasehold reform before the summer recess at the end of July, as promised.  

Last autumn the Government undertook a consultation exercise and made a commitment to publish its report before Parliament's summer recess, but with the recent ministerial changes at the Department for Communities and Local Government there is growing concern that this timeframe may be delayed. 

Sajid Javid, when he was Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, described many leasehold practices as “practically feudal and entirely unjustifiable.”

Now Louie Burns, managing director of Leasehold Solutions, is calling on the government to make sure it sticks to its commitment. 

"The government is currently scrutinising the existing legislation on leases, and I believe it is serious about the changes it wants to introduce. My concern is that when facing more pressing issues such as Brexit, Syria and the NHS, the government's timetable may slip - particularly as Sajid Javid has now been promoted to Home Secretary” says Burns. 

"We need clarity and action from the government, and this issue cannot be allowed to drift. I therefore urge the Government and the new Housing Secretary, James Brokenshire, to make sure it sticks to its timetable and publishes its eagerly anticipated report on leasehold before the summer recess” insists Burns. 

It is widely anticipated that new legislation will be needed to reform the sector, including changes to the Commonhold legislation to make it a workable alternative to leasehold. 

“It will take several years for new legislation to come before Parliament, hence the need to start the process as quickly as possible. The government has committed to banning the sale of new-build leasehold houses, which can and will be achieved fairly quickly, but I think it will take years before some of the other proposed policies are ready to roll-out.”