Leasehold Reform

Debate between Clive Betts and David Drew

Thursday 21st March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Betts]

The point about the costs of legal action not being recoverable from leaseholders is made in our report, and I welcome the idea of a longer debate on that issue—perhaps once the Government have published their response, so that we can take that into account. We ought to pursue the idea of lease-rental more clearly, because people do not wholly own their properties in the way they think they do.

[Dr David Drew (Stroud) (Lab/Co-op)]

As my hon. Friend knows, I am particularly concerned about older people who have been somewhat duped into these schemes. Does he agree that the Competition and Markets Authority could quickly consider that issue and deal with problems in the sheltered accommodation sector?

[Mr Betts]

Yes. We called for an investigation into mis-selling, as did the Government. Let us hope that, between us, we get that done, particularly for older people who may not have understood some of the difficult complications with those sorts of properties.