The government must finish implementing existing leasehold reforms before embarking on another round of changes, a leasehold expert has warned following the latest announcements from ministers.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner have promised further leasehold reform, including plans to restrict permission and administration fees charged to leaseholders.
The government confirmed on Monday that it will legislate to give the Secretary of State powers to cap charges for requests such as keeping a pet, while administrative fees for services including providing building safety certificates could also be restricted.
However, Linz Darlington (main picture, inset), property expert and founder of leasehold extension specialist Homehold, argues the priority should be completing reforms already on the statute book.
‘CRIED WOLF’
Darlington says: “Promises of leasehold reform are always positive, and the further protections announced today certainly are so.
“However, politicians crying about leasehold reform is somewhat analogous to the story of the boy who cried wolf – it’s hard to take it seriously when you’ve heard it all before.
“The Tories rushed through the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act in May 2024 – but it was never fully implemented. Once implemented, this legislation has the potential to make lease extensions and freehold purchases cheaper and easier for leaseholders.”
‘UNFINISHED BUSINESS’
Rayner described leasehold reform as “unfinished business” in her Labour Party conference speech, while the government says its latest measures will form part of wider changes intended to strengthen protections for more than five million leaseholders and future homeowners.
Darlington adds: “Angela Rayner described leasehold reform as ‘unfinished business’. But leaseholders don’t need another round of consultation – they need the Government to ‘finish’ the job by passing a short piece of corrective legislation so the 2024 Act can actually work.
“At that point, the Government can start on the next tranche of their leasehold reform agenda with their extensive bill.”
DELIVERY TIMETABLE
Burnham has said a further bill will be brought forward by Christmas, but Darlington cautions that introducing legislation will not mean leaseholders immediately benefit from the reforms.
He says: “Andy Burnham has promised a bill by Christmas that will stop ‘the days of you being squeezed for every penny’.
“While this bill has already been through pre-legislative scrutiny, introducing a bill is still an early step in a long journey.
“The bill might be in parliament by Christmas 2026, but the question many leaseholders will be asking is: by which year’s Christmas will I actually see the benefit?”
