After detailed pre-legislative scrutiny, the Government’s King’s Speech brought forward the long-awaited Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill. The legislation will:
- Ban new leasehold flats
- Introduce a new mechanism to convert existing leasehold properties to commonhold
- Reform commonhold as a tenure, with improved governance and dispute resolution.
- Cap ground rents at £250 a month before moving to a peppercorn after 40 years.
- Make it easier and cheaper for leaseholders to undergo collective enfranchisement.
As the Bill comes in for greater debate and scrutiny from MPs and the public, Labour Housing Group and the Fabian Society are welcoming stakeholders across residents, experts and civil society to a panel event and workshop for a wide-ranging discussion about the Bill.
The event will ask the fundamental questions:
- What obstacles will exist for existing leaseholders to convert to commonhold, and for new ‘commonholders’ to fully exercise a new generation of rights and autonomy?
- Does the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill go far enough to end unfair power structures and relationships inherent in the leasehold system?
- What else does the Government need to do address rising service charges?
- What regulatory system needs to be in place to ensure that the Bill’s measures are appropriately enforced?